The Akhilesh Yadav-'Radhe Radhe Guruji' Interaction That's Now Gone Viral

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has questioned spiritual leader Aniruddhacharya Maharaj over his continued use of the term 'Shudra'. In a roadside exchange caught on camera, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister used the example of Lord Krishna's childhood to argue against caste-based labels.

Akhilesh Yadav asked, "Krishna ko Maa ne pehli baar kya bola tha?" ("What did Krishna's mother call him the first time?") Aniruddhacharya replied, "God has many names. Kanhaiya bola tha." ("She called him Kanhaiya.")

To this, Akhilesh Yadav responded, "Okay, this is where our path and yours diverge. Ab se fir shudra mat bolna." ("From now on, don't refer to anyone a Shudra.")

"आज के बाद किसी को शूद्र मत कहना"

अखिलेश जी ने अनिरुद्धाचार्य को अच्छे से समझा दिया, कथावाचक की बोलती बंद हो गई ???? pic.twitter.com/nlLTj8XW14

— Surya Samajwadi (@surya_samajwadi) July 13, 2025

Aniruddhacharya Maharaj, also known online as "Pookie baba", later addressed the incident during a sermon. Without naming Akhilesh Yadav directly, he recounted his version of the conversation, "The person who asks the question already memorises the answer they want to hear. God has countless names that no one can fully enumerate. But nowadays, even if someone knows a little, they begin to think of themselves as all-knowing."

Recounting the encounter, the spiritual leader said, "I once met a politician who asked me, 'What is God's name?' I told him, 'God has infinite names.' Just like when a child is born, people ask whether it's a boy (Lala) or a girl (Lali). Similarly, Kanhaiya's first name was Lala. But in written form, it was Krishna. Even before being called Krishna, people referred to him as Lala, or they used other names in their respective languages."

Aniruddhacharya continued, "He said that wasn't a name and concluded that 'your path is different from mine.' That politician had once served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh; in other words, he had been a king. A king should treat his people like his own children. The king is the father; the citizens are his children. So imagine - a former CM told me, 'Your path and my path are different,' just because I didn't give the answer he had in mind. I simply spoke the truth. If you refuse to accept what is written, then no one can win an argument with you."