HYDERABAD: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have intensified their criticism of Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy over his recent comments on Hinduism, with the row prompting an protest outside the BJP state office where party workers burnt his effigy. State BJP president N Ramchander Rao has already called for protests across the state on December 3, accusing the CM of making “anti-Hindu” remarks. On Tuesday afternoon, a small group of BJP workers staged an early demonstration in front of the party headquarters, shouting slogans and setting an effigy of Revanth Reddy on fire.
‘Time has come for Hindus to unite’: Kishan Reddy
Union minister Kishan Reddy said the chief minister had stated during the Jubilee Hills bypoll campaign that “Congress means Muslims and Muslims mean Congress”. He accused the CM of making “arrogant comments against Hindus and Hindu gods and goddesses” due to his “friendship with the AIMIM”. “The time has come for Hindus to unite in Telangana also. The time has come to show the power of Hindus to Revanth Reddy and Congress party,” he said. “The arrogance of Congress and Revanth Reddy should be removed using the power of vote, which helped them to come to power,” he added.
BJP says its warning was ‘Proven True’
Union MoS (Home) Sanjay Kumar said the party had warned during the bypoll that Hindus would “lose their self-respect” if either Congress or BRS won. “Hindu society should think now whether they want to face insults by remaining divided or show their power by ensuring unity. BJP never insults other religions. BJP respects all religions,” he said. He added that the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi follows the philosophy of “sab ka saath, sab ka vikas, sab ka vishwas”.
What CM said
Speaking at the Congress executive meeting, Revanth Reddy defended the party’s diversity and likened it to the range of worship practices within Hinduism. “Because there is freedom in the Congress, the party has existed for 140 years. People with all kinds of mindsets will be there in here,” he said. “How many Gods are there in Hinduism? How many deities? Are there 3 crore? Why? There is Hanuman for those who don’t get married, there is another God for those who marry twice, there is one God for those who drink alcohol, there are people who offer Alcohol & Chicken to Yellamma, Pochamma, Maisamma and there is also a God for those who eat Rice & Dal. There are all kinds of Gods,” he said. He added that political diversity within the Congress should be viewed similarly: “When we were unable to bring consensus even on Gods, I don’t think there will be a consensus on political leaders or district presidents.” Revanth Reddy urged leaders to shed personal grievances “You must let go of those things once you have taken up this responsibility… From today onwards, changed person should be seen in you.”
A political row
The remarks have triggered sharp responses from national BJP figures. Union minister Giriraj Singh accused the Congress of launching “a campaign against Hindus”. “Whoever says things like this neither believes in India’s constitution nor has anything to do with India’s culture… Revanth Reddy should declare the Congress Party as the Muslim League Congress Party,” he said. He also hit out at Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Madani “Maulana Madani should go to some Islamic country as a Speaker… The one who talks about jihad should be tried as per the law.” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “Whether it is Maulana Madani or the Congress Party, both seem to be speaking in the same voice today… The kind of language used by the Chief Minister of Telangana, Revanth Reddy, for Hindu deities is not only objectionable but hateful.”
TTD board member seeks apology
TTD Board Member Bhanuprakash Reddy also demanded that the CM apologise, calling the remarks “an affront to the sentiments of millions of Hindus”. He warned that “such statements would have consequences”, adding that criticising long-standing traditions of worship was “unacceptable”.
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