The BJP on Wednesday accused Congress MP Shashi Tharoor of insulting Hinduism by "ridiculing" the ongoing 'Kumbh' with "tactical support" of Rahul Gandhi.
The BJP on Wednesday accused Congress MP Shashi Tharoor of insulting Hinduism by "ridiculing" the ongoing 'Kumbh' with "tactical support" of Rahul Gandhi.
BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani attacked the opposition party after Tharoor tweeted a photograph of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his cabinet colleagues taking a dip at 'Sangam' in Kumbh and apparently took a dig at them.
"Ganga has to be kept clean and sins are also to be washed here. Everyone is naked in this Sangam. Hail mother Ganga," the Congress MP had tweeted in Hindi Tuesday, drawing an angry response from Irani.Noting that Kumbh is a festival of faith and a biggest symbol of Hindu beliefs, Irani told reporters that Tharoor's comments were tantamount to "religious slur" as she accused him of ridiculing the religious congregation.
"It is appalling and he has done it with tactical support of Rahul Gandhi," she said, claiming that the Congress president's silence amounted to his support to Tharoor's "insult" of the Hinduism.
Tharoor has often made comments targeting Hinduism, she said. Hitting out at Gandhi, the minister said he allows his party leaders to attack the beliefs of Hindus but strategically wears 'janeu' (holy thread) when elections are round the corner.
1. Tharoor took jibe at Yogi Adityanath
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गंगा भी स्वच्छ रखनी है और पाप भी यहीं धोने हैं। इस संगम में सब नंगे हैं!
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 29, 2019
जय गंगा मैया की! pic.twitter.com/qAmHThAJjD
2. Nalin Kohli slams Tharoor
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Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, BJP spokesman Nalin Kohli said such comments on Hindu practices by an educated person like Tharoor is very unfortunate.
"This is very unfortunate. An extremely educated and respected person like Tharoor always comes up with such kind of comments related to practices of the Hindu religion" Kohli said referring to the tweet posted by Tharoor yesterday.
Venting his anger at Tharoor, Kohli further said, "One will never find his tweet related to beliefs and practices of Islam, Christianity or any other religion. Why does he do so? If somebody goes to Kumbh to take a holy bath in river Ganga, will they dress in a suit, tie etc? Yogi ji along with other ministers took a dip at Sangam Ghat on an auspicious day. Tharoor must show respect for other people too."
Kohli also pointed out that even Congress party president Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Prayagraj soon to take the holy dip.
3. Yogi Adityanath held cabinet metting in Prayagraj
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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and almost all his senior ministers took a dip at the Sangam here following a unique cabinet meeting Tuesday at the venue of the Kumbh Mela itself.
At the meeting, the BJP-led government approved the construction of a 600-km Ganga Expressway to better connect Allahabad - now renamed Prayagraj - to western Uttar Pradesh.
The state government said the expressway, which will cost Rs 36,000 crore, will be the longest in the world.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said apart from all cabinet ministers and some junior ministers, 'sadhus" also took the holy dip on the historic day .
There are 25 cabinet ministers, including the chief minister, in the UP ministry which also has ministers of state.
Om Prakash Rajbhar, who represent a BJP ally Bharatiya Suheldev Samaj Party (SBSP) in the cabinet, kept away from the Allahabad meeting, complaining that the issues related to the backward communities are being ignored.
The chief minister and members of his cabinet also offered prayers at a Hanuman temple here.
The ministers had travelled from the state capital Lucknow, where the cabinet usually meets at regular intervals. The meeting was held at the "integrated control and command centre" set up at the sprawling Kumbh Mela venue itself.
Lakhs of devotees have been visiting the Kumbh Mela, which this time happens to fall just a few months before the Lok Sabha elections.
Apart from nod for the Ganga Expressway project, the cabinet also gave the necessary approvals for the Bundelkhand Expressway and the Purvanchal Expressway which have already been announced.
The government decided to waive the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on Uri: The Surgical Strike", a recently released film based on Indian commando raids in 2016 inside Pakistan-controlled territory.
Adityanath said the film is about the valour of the country's soldiers and instills a feeling of patriotism.
The proposed Ganga Expressway will start from Meerut and pass through Amroha, Bulandshahr, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Farrukhabad, Hardoi, Kannauj, Unnao, Rae Bareli and Pratapgarh before reaching Allahabad, the chief minister told reporters.
This expressway will require 6,556 hectares of land.
Around Allahabad, the cabinet also approved the beautification of the Rishi Bhardwaj ashram and the development of the Shringverpur pilgrim spot and the Nishadraj Park.
The cabinet gave its nod for installing the statue of Maharishi Balmiki at an ashram between Allahabad and Chitrakoot.
A Ramayana research institute will also be set up, the chief minister said.
The state government gave an in-principle approval for the Bundelkhand Expressway and the development of the Bundelkhand region.
This Bundelkhand Expressway will be 296 km long and cost Rs 8,864 crore.
The government has already begun the acquisition of 3,641 hectare of land required for this project.
The chief minister recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already announced a Defence Corridor for the region. This is meant to promote Defence-related industry.
The cabinet gave its approval for the 91-km Gorakhpur link of the Purvanchal Expressway that will pass through Azamgarh and Ambedkarnagar.
The government also approved providing houses under the Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojna to 3,791 homeless people suffering from leprosy.
The doctors and other staff members at the SGPGI in Lucknow will now get facilities on a par with the AIIMS in Delhi, the chief minister added.
4. Top Congress leaders likely to also visit Kumbh
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There are reports that Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi will be attending Kumbh on February 4, and it will be the launchpad of Priyanka Gandhi's formal foray in politics. Priyanka Gandhi has been named Eastern Uttar Pradesh General Secretary of Congress and the party is hoping that the leader can rejuvenate the ailing organisation in India's most populated state.
