- Congress chief called Diwali
- BJP accused Kharge of religious appeasement, hurting sentiments.
- Congress defended remark, calling
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s description of Diwali as “khushiyon ka ek Eid” (an Eid of happiness) has triggered a political row, with the BJP accusing him of religious appeasement and the Opposition party defending his words as a message of communal harmony.
While extending Diwali greetings to people, the 84-year-old Congress chief described the festival as a major celebration observed across India and compared its spirit of joy to Eid. His remarks, made during an interaction with reporters, drew sharp reactions from BJP leaders.
“Deepavali ki shubhkamnayein sabhi ko main deta hoon. Ye ek bahut bada tyohaar hamare Hindustan mein sabhi log manate hain aur iska ek hi karan hai ki khushiyon ka ek Eid hai aur bahut din lambe samay tak chalne waali Eid yahi hai,” Kharge said.
Congress leaders and supporters defended the statement, arguing that he had used Eid as a metaphor for happiness and was calling for greater unity across communities. The BJP, however, accused the Congress of using religious references to pursue vote-bank politics.
BJP Accuses Kharge Of Religious Appeasement
BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan alleged that Kharge’s Diwali greeting was an attempt to hurt the religious sentiments of Hindu devotees.
“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,” Kesavan said.
Union minister Giriraj Singh also attacked the Congress president, calling him a mouthpiece of the Gandhi family and accusing the party of pursuing appeasement politics.
Speaking to ANI, Singh alleged that the Congress had consistently sought to divide Hindus and appease Muslims. He also criticised the party for what he described as its silence on remarks against Hindu festivals and Sanatan Dharma.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari had earlier targeted the Congress in a video message on X, calling it an “anti-Hindu” and “anti-Sanatan” party. He alleged that Kharge’s remark was an attempt at vote-bank politics ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections.
Bhandari also referred to the Congress leadership’s alleged stance on the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and its response to controversial remarks made by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin about Sanatan Dharma.
Congress Defends Remark, Says Eid Is A Metaphor For Joy
The Congress defended Kharge’s statement, maintaining that his reference to Eid was intended to convey the spirit of celebration and promote communal harmony. The party argued that he had used the word in its broader sense of a joyous occasion rather than drawing a religious comparison.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi also came out in Kharge’s defence, saying Eid was commonly used as a metaphor for happiness.
“Clearly, when it comes to expressing joy, Eid is often used as a metaphor, much like how, when someone reappears after a long absence, people ask, ‘Kya tum Eid ka chand ho gaye ho?’ Eid is synonymous with joy,” Alvi said.
He added that Kharge’s remark reflected a secular outlook and accused the BJP of interpreting it through a communal lens.
Alvi also drew a distinction between the two festivals, saying that while both Diwali and Eid were occasions of happiness, Eid did not lead to a rise in the Air Quality Index (AQI).
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