Priyanka Gandhi’s Narmada puja
By Justice Markandey Katju
Despite being an atheist, I am a strong supporter of religious freedom, and have nothing against puja of gods, rivers, trees or whatever.
What I object to, however, is using religion for political purposes, as Congress party leader Priyanka Gandhi’s recent Narmada puja obviously was, considering that it was done with an eye on the coming Madhya Pradesh state assembly elections, scheduled for November.
One is reminded of Rahul Gandhi’s visits to temple after temple during the 2017 Gujarat state assembly elections, and his followers called him a ‘janeudhari shivabhakt‘ (Lord Shiva devotee who wears the sacred thread) with no refutation from him. He then went to Lake Mansarovar, all to placate Hindu votes.
Rahul is hardly seen in Hindu temples, and Priyanka was never seen earlier worshipping the Narmada. Whence this sudden devotion ? Are these not just political stunts ?
All the Gandhi family and the Congress party want is to come back to power, since like a fish out of water they are gasping, unaccustomed as they are to being without it.
Rahul Gandhi’s talk in his recent visit to America of ”nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan” was made with an eye on securing the Muslim votes. Now Priyanka Gandhi’s Narmada puja is with an eye on the Hindu votes.
After all, both Rahul and Priyanka belong to the royal family of India, and must be restored to the throne, from which they have been so unjustly deprived.
