Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of disrespecting Hindu traditions and using divisive tactics, at a gathering in Bhubaneswar.
Referring to the viral image of a Ganesh idol inside a police van in Karnataka, PM Modi remarked that those who seek to divide society, are “irked” by religious festivals like Ganesh Utsav.
“The British, who worked on the policy of ‘Divide and Rule’, were irked by the Ganesh Utsav. Today also, the people who are trying to divide and break Indian society are irked by Ganesh Utsav. People who are hungry for power, have an issue with Ganesh Pooja,” PM Modi said in a sharp jab at the Congress.
He added, “The people of Congress and its ecosystem are agitated because I attended Ganpati Poojan. In Karnataka, where they are in power, they committed an even bigger sin. They put Lord Ganesh’s idol behind bars. The whole country is disturbed because of those pictures.”
PM Modi’s remarks came in the backdrop of a recent incident in Karnataka, where a Ganesh idol was spotted inside a police van during a protest at Bengaluru’s Town Hall.
The image, which went viral, sparked outrage, with the BJP accusing the Congress of disrespecting Lord Ganesha.
However, it was later turned out that the idol was recovered by the Karnataka police from a protest site and was immersed with full respect.
Clarifying on the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Bengaluru Central Division, said, “On September 13, 2024, Hindu groups protested at Bengaluru’s Town Hall over the Nagamangala Ganesh procession incident, defying a High Court order. Demonstrators were detained, and the Ganapati idol was later immersed by authorities with rituals.”