New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) Political mercury soared over remarks made by senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and Samajwadi Party leader ST Hasan on the annual Kanwar Yatra, prompting a sharp counterattack from the BJP.

Addressing the media, BJP MP and national spokesperson Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi accused both leaders of spreading an anti-Hindu narrative and attempting to defame a long-standing spiritual tradition.

Sudhanshu Trivedi said the statements made by both Singh and Hasan reflect the same ideological framework that has repeatedly opposed Hindu traditions. He alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s participation in foreign conferences like ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva’ and events aimed at “eradicating Sanatan Dharma” in Chennai stems from this mindset.

“Digvijaya Singh sees Zakir Naik as a ‘messenger of peace,’ refers to Osama bin Laden as ‘Osama ji,’ and calls Hafiz Saeed ‘Hafiz Sahab’. But when it comes to the Kanwar Yatra, he suddenly finds communalism in it,” Trivedi said.

He questioned ST Hasan’s alignment with groups allegedly concealing their identity. “Why does he stand with people who hide their names and religious affiliation?” Trivedi asked.

Continuing his attack, the BJP leader remarked that the Congress is so consumed by anti-Modi sentiment that its leaders are unable to differentiate between truth and misinformation. “This is the result of being gripped by a distorted ‘Modi-Virodhi’ mindset,” he said, adding that such an obsession leads to a poor understanding of basic facts.

Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh had earlier said that while there is no objection to state governments facilitating the yatra, trouble arises when such religious events are allegedly used to spread hatred. “In a civilised society, the spread of hatred cannot be justified,” he stated.

Former MP ST Hasan had also alleged that during the Kanwar Yatra in Uttarakhand, some Hindu groups were reportedly questioning the religious identity of hotel staff and local shopkeepers. “Asking people for their names or making them undress to confirm their religion is a form of terrorism,” Hasan said. He compared the alleged incidents to past terrorist acts where victims were targeted based on their religion, referring to the Pahalgam massacre.

Trivedi also took a jibe at former police officer and Congress leader Ajoy Kumar, accusing him of lacking basic knowledge about India’s geography. “How can someone who served in the police force be unaware of India’s northeastern region unless blinded by political bias?” he said.

Addressing a press conference, Kumar, who is a former MP from Jamshedpur, had talked about India’s “deteriorating relations” with neighbouring countries and blamed the BJP-led government at the Centre for the situation. He had cited examples of Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and ended up naming ‘Sikkim’ as well.

Expressing surprise, the BJP spokesperson said it is ironic that the Congress—under whose regime the Emergency was imposed—now lectures on democratic values. “They’ve forgotten that the darkest phase of Indian democracy happened under Indira Gandhi,” he stated. He asked the Congress to remove their “anti-Modi lens” and look at the true picture of the country. “Only then will they be able to see the real map and face of the nation,” he added.

–IANS

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