The aftermath of the Maha Kumbh has sparked a political dispute between the Congress and BJP in India, revolving around allegations of anti-Hindu sentiment. The BJP criticized Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge for not attending key Hindu events, including the Kumbh and the Ram temple inauguration. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused Gandhi’s family of being anti-Hindu, while Congress’s Priyank Kharge countered that many BJP leaders also missed these events. He highlighted that the BJP’s logic could label their political allies as anti-Hindu too, questioning the consistency of their accusations.
New Delhi:
The fallout from the Maha Kumbh has sparked yet another confrontation between the Congress and the BJP over religious sentiments. The BJP has launched new accusations against the Congress, labeling the party and its key figures as anti-Hindu, with particular focus on senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. The BJP asserts that Mr. Gandhi has demonstrated a lack of respect for Hinduism by not attending either the Kumbh or the inauguration of the Ram temple. Priyank Kharge, son of the party president Mallikarjun Kharge, countered on X, highlighting that many BJP Union Ministers and over half of its MLAs also did not attend.
This BJP critique of Congress coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Somnath temple in Gujarat.
“Rahul Gandhi’s entire family is anti-Hindu. They visited the mosque constructed by Babar (Ayodhya’s Babri Masjid) three times, yet they have not made a visit for the darshan of Shri Ram at the Ram temple. While Rahul Gandhi frequently visits Raebareli (his parliamentary constituency), he could not find the time to go to Prayagraj (site of the Maha Kumbh), which is just two hours and a mere 120 km away,” asserted BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari.
In a post on X in Hindi, the BJP stated, “After centuries of struggle and waiting, a magnificent Ram temple has been constructed in Ayodhya, where the Pran Pratishtha of Lord Shri Ramlala was conducted on January 22, 2024, by the hands of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi. However, the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi, who have consistently opposed the temple’s construction, did not attend the inauguration ceremony despite receiving an invitation. This indicates that the Congress has always undermined Hindu sentiments in order to cater to its vote bank”.
While the individuals targeted did not issue a response, Priyank Kharge made a post:
Dear @BJP4India,
Here’s a list of other so-called “anti-Hindus” who missed #MahaKumbh:
Half of your Union Ministers
More than half of BJP legislators nationwide
Most of your IT Cell warriors
And let’s not overlook your allies:
Sri Nitish Kumar
•Sri… https://t.co/t8G9W1wrKC
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) March 2, 2025
Basing their claims on BJP’s reasoning, even allies such as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and HD Kumaraswamy would also be categorized as anti-Hindus, he remarked.