Bang, pop, crackle, boom. Off went the firecrackers as India celebrated Diwali.
The festival greeting by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, describing Diwali as “khushiyon ka ek Eid”, appeared to have generated a sharp acoustic shock wave, inviting edged comments from the ruling BJP.
” Deepavali ki subhkamnaaye sabhi ko main deta hoon. Ye ek bahut bada tyohaar hamare Hindustan main sabhi log manate hain aur iska ek hi karan hai ki khushiyon ka ek Eid hai aur bahut din lambe samay tak chalne waal Eid yahi hai (I extend my best wishes for Deepavali to everyone.
It is a major festival celebrated by all across India; essentially, it is a grand celebration of joy, afestival of Eid – one that spans a long period of time),” Kharge, during an interaction with reporters, said.
“M Kharge’s twisted Diwali greetings underline the blunt fact how the Congress party will never hesitate to hurt and humiliate the faith and sentiment of crores of Hindu devotees just to peddle their toxic politics of religious appeasement,” BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan alleged. Rahul Gandhi had alleged last year that the Prime Minister’s proposed dip in the Yamuna River during Chhath Puja was a “drama”, claiming that the plan was shelved when it was discovered that a patch of clean water had been created artificially for the occasion. The Congress leader also said that PM Modi would “do anything for votes, even dance”.
Kesavan accused the Congress chief of having earlier demeaned the Mahakumbh and also used the opportunity to heap criticism on Rahul Gandhi, who though has not contributed to the alleged row that the BJP appears to be angry about.
Kharge urged citizens to use the festive period to strengthen unity and remove social divisions. Congress leaders and supporters defended the statement, saying the 84-year-old leader intended to promote communal harmony and mutual respect.
The Congress argued that “Eid” was used in its broader sense of a joyous celebration and was meant as a metaphorical call for national unity across cultures.
