Bhopal: The Congress in Madhya Pradesh has asked its units across the state to organise special events and prayers on the occasions of Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti. The ruling BJP is celebrating Ram Navami with special events in religious places like Chitrakoot and Orchha. The Congress, meanwhile, has sent missives to all its block-level units asking that programmes like recitation of Ram Katha and enactment of Ram Leela be held on Ram Navami.
On Hanuman Jayanti, there should be readings from the Sundar Kand and Hanuman Chalisa, directed by Chandraprabhash Shekhar, vice-president in charge of the organization, in his letters. Senior leader and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath will also issue a message on Ram Navmi and hold a religious programme on Hanuman Jayanti at Chhindwara. The ruling BJP has ridiculed the move as “hypocrisy”, declaring that Congress leaders had termed Lord Ram as an imaginary character.
Assembly polls are due in the state next year. Congress’s plan of action has had some in-house critics as well. Bhopal MLA Arif Masood questioned the letter, saying, “What was the need for our party to start this new tradition of issuing directions to all its units to celebrate festivals of any community?” By issuing such letters Congress is giving the ruling BJP ammunition to target it, he said.
Senior BJP leader and home minister Dr Narottam Mishra took a dig at the MLA saying, “This is nothing but ‘ache din’ as Congress leaders are going to the temple. Masood is not able to digest that Congress leaders who used to organise ‘Iftar’ parties are now visiting temples”. Ahead of the last state elections in 2018, the CPM had warned that “If the Congress thinks it can defeat the BJP by soft Hindutva tactics, it is mistaken”.