2 min readMumbaiMar 26, 2026 12:42 AM ISTHe said that true spirituality is founded in positivity and honesty, and not in the exploitation and harming of others. "Anybody who harms another is not adhering to faith — it is blind superstition,” the CM added.Taking a dig at self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said, “Maharashtra has a place for ‘dharma’ (righteousness) and not ‘bhondugiri’ (fraud).”“If problems were resolved through black magic, we would have appointed Ashok Kharat as a security advisor to US president Donald Trump. The wars would have been fought with lemon and chillies and not drones,” Fadnavis sarcastically said in the state legislative assembly. “Moreover, even the Pakistan terrorists would have been eliminated with pins… Instead of campaigns, politicians would then just rally behind godman,” he said.Reiterating his government’s resolve to take the case to its logical end and punish all those guilty, Fadnavis said, “A line between faith and blind faith is thin and should not be violated. When individuals lose reasoning, they become victims of such fake godmen.”“The state with an illustrious legacy of spirituality has seen saints and seers who have always warned people not to blindly follow individuals and guard against those who promote superstition,” he said.He added that the the state had a rich lineage of the teachings of Sant Tukaram, Dnyaneshwa, and Gadge Baba. “Though they never denied the existence of God, they consistently opposed superstition,” he added.He said that true spirituality is founded in positivity and honesty, and not in the exploitation and harming of others. “Anybody who harms another is not adhering to faith — it is blind superstition,” the CM added.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd