After philanthropist and author Sudha Murthy drew flak for taking the blessings of controversial right-wing leader Sambhaji Rao Bhide, she has clarified that she did not know who Bhide was when she met him. Sudha, the wife of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and mother-in-law to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, met Bhide at an event in Maharashtra’s Sangli on November 7. Pictures of her seeking Bhide’s blessings went viral on social media, with many condemning her for meeting with him.
“I didn’t know him personally. He is an old man, and it is our culture to touch elders’ feet. I didn’t know about his personal opinions. He asked if we could speak for some time at the event, but I told him that I was very busy,” she said.
Bhide is the founder of Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan and a former leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He was among those booked after the Bhima Koregaon clashes in 2018, on charges of instigating violence by sparking stone-pelting.
Bhide has sparked controversy several times in the past. Most recently, on November 2, he kicked up a row after he refused to speak to a media person as she was not wearing a ‘bindi’ on her forehead. A video of the incident surfaced online, where he is heard declining to give a soundbyte to the media person unless she wore a bindi (decorative dot worn in the middle of the forehead by women). The incident occurred after he met with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Mumbai, and prompted Maharashtra State Women's Commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar to issue a notice to the right-wing leader seeking an explanation for his remarks.