JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government is organising a week-long Bhagwat Katha from March 1 on Maha Shivratri at a temple in Jaipur, a move seen as a “soft Hindutva” approach by the ruling Congress to compete with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state polls due in 2023.
While the BJP leaders believe that it is an attempt by the Congress to blunt their ‘pro-Muslim’ tag and divert attention from their failures, the government claims that it is a move to strengthen peace and prosperity.
It is probably the first time that the Devsthan department of the Rajasthan government is hosting Katha in such a manner. The department minister Shakuntla Rawat herself will participate in the Kalash Yatra.
Rawat said the Katha is organised for the wellbeing and prosperity of the state and such programs should keep happening. Even the state’s budget presented by chief minister Ashok Gehlot is on the same line ensuring harmony and prosperity, covering all sections of society, she added.
“This is just a start and in the coming days more programs such as Sunder Kand, Ram Katha and other religious programs will be organised at big temples of Devsthan,” she said. This is probably the first time that the department is initiating such a program, she added.
Hitting at the opposition’s claims, Rawat said the Congress has always believed and respected all religions.
“This initiative is nowhere political but for the peace and prosperity of the state. It’s the BJP that always divides people in the name of religion. The names can be different but there is just one power,” said the minister, who also holds the portfolio of the industry department.
Former minister and senior BJP MLA, Vasudev Devnani said the Congress is trying to divert attention from its failures and, likewise, is organising such programs to lure the public. But people will not be satisfied with them as they are aware of their appeasement policy. Be it NandiShala, or any religious issue, they just have favored the minority (community). “They are now trying to balance it but their sole is not with Hindus. It probably is the sequel of drama started by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi by visiting temples,” he said.
Devnani said this is probably the first time that the Devsthan department has been made a part in the organising of such an event.
BJP spokesperson Ram Lal Sharma said the party (Congress) was not ready to believe in the existence of Lord Ram and Ram Setu but today the same party, through the Rajasthan government’s Devsthan Department, is organising Bhagwat Katha to give a message that they also believe in Ram and that they are also religious.
“But people understand the culture and character of the Congress. What they say is different from what they do. People will not fall into their trap,’ he added.
Political Analyst, Manish Godha said this might look like a single event but could also be the start of a change in narrative for the Congress looking to the next assembly polls in 2023. However, it still needs to be seen how they sustain the initiative and build momentum.
He said the move is also seen as the follow-up of what Rahul Gandhi said during a rally in the state- ‘We are Hindu but not HIndutvadi’. The party, somewhere, is working on this line, he added.
