Ayodhya/Lucknow: A fish feast held during a Congress programme in Ayodhya has turned into a political fight in Uttar Pradesh, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacking Congress state President Ajay Rai and his party accusing the ruling dispensation of targeting the Nishad community over its food habits.
“I myself was present at the programme yesterday. Earlier reporting noted: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath brought the issue up while addressing a gathering in Raebareli on Monday. Rai, Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam and several party leaders and workers attended the event. Heavy rain hit the gathering, but the crowd stayed through it, with some people even holding chairs over their heads to keep themselves dry. We stayed in Ayodhya only for a short time. The Nishad community had organised the event, and they eat fish. Does that mean the BJP is against the Nishad community? The ruling party has accused the Opposition of hurting religious sentiments as the Congress calls the controversy an attempt to divert attention from other issues.
The controversy began after a programme organised by the Nishad community in the holy city on Sunday (August 23). Earlier reporting noted: ALSO READ | BJP passes resolution on ‘Vande Mataram’, condemns Congress move to sing 2 stanzas
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Dutt, who said he was present at the programme, defended the Nishad community’s food habits. The BJP stands for the biggest lying party,” he said. “You saw the behaviour of the Congress state president: he goes to offer prayers at Hanumangarhi, but later outside he enjoys a feast of fish,” Yogi said.
Earlier reporting noted: ‘Ram-Ram’ inside, ‘maach-bhaat’ outside: Why BJP and Congress are at odds over fish in Ayodhya The BJP and Congress have locked horns over an alleged fish feast held during a welcome programme for state Congress president Ajay Rai in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.
Organiser defends the feast
Otherwise, you saw yesterday how Congress leaders insult our heritage. “When we stand together and intensify the fight, the country’s freedom will be protected. You must have seen the conduct of the Congress state president, who went to Ayodhya to offer prayers at Hanumangarhi and then attended a fish feast. They keep chanting ‘Ram-Ram’; there should be a limit to shamelessness,” he alleged. If he wanted to eat fish, he could have gone outside Ayodhya to do so. This shows the Congress’s double standards. Other BJP leaders also criticised the Congress UP president’s alleged consumption of non-vegetarian food in the fish feast.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised Rai over the issue and said the episode showed the Congress’s approach towards religious traditions. Yogi also said, “Who asked him to visit Hanumangarhi? Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “If you host a fish feast in Ayodhya during the holy month of Sawan, it shows that you are trying to present yourself as a champion of secularism while showing intolerance towards Sanatan traditions. Congress leader and programme organiser Ram Nihal Nishad said that the criticism was an attempt to question people’s freedom to choose their food.
