Kharge's Diwali greeting triggers Row: (Img: X)
New Delhi: The BJP on Monday came down heavily on Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for calling Diwali a 'Khushiyon ka Eid', and dared him and Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to call Eid a 'Diwali of joy'. The BJP also called the Congress an anti-Sanatani party.
Extending his Diwali greetings over the weekend, Kharge had told reporters that Diwali is a major festival celebrated by everyone in India and described it as 'Khushiyon ka Eid'.
Reacting to his comments, BJP national media co-in-charge and spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said the Congress chose vote-bank politics even on Diwali, with the party president describing Diwali as an "Eid of happiness".
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BJP's national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said in a post on X, "Mr Kharge, what exactly is the problem with calling Diwali, the biggest festival of Hindus, by its own name?" Bhatia said Eid has its own significance, and Diwali has its own sanctity, tradition, and identity.
"Has changing the identity of Hindu festivals become a matter of political etiquette in Congress's so-called secularism? Rahul Gandhi and Kharge, answer this: "Will you ever have the courage to call Eid the 'Diwali of Joy '?", he asked.
"Respect Hindus' faith; don't change the identity of their festivals. Diwali was, Diwali is, and Diwali will remain Diwali", Bhatia said.
Another BJP spokesperson, Tuhin Sinha, said Muslims celebrate Eid only twice a year, but the Congress party wants to celebrate every Hindu festival as "Khushion ki Eid".
"So the Congress party effectively wants to celebrate Eid 10-12 times a year. That is why this Congress party is MMC Maowadi Muslim League, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls it", he said.
