The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Congress leadership, accusing party president Mallikarjun Kharge of appeasement politics and of hurting Hindu sentiments by calling Diwali the “Eid of happiness”.
The row stems from Kharge’s remarks when he extended his Diwali greetings to people on Saturday, saying this is a major festival celebrated by everyone across the country as it is a “khushiyon ka Eid” that lasts for a long time.
“Diwali is Diwali, and Eid is Eid. Why is it that when it comes to Diwali which has its own sanctity, tradition and identity, you choose to call it Eid while extending greetings to Hindus?” said BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Monday, alleging that the Congress sought to dilute the identity of Hindu festivals.
Union minister Giriraj Singh said this wasn’t a one-off remark and linked Kharge’s remarks to the Congress leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and his family.
Congress leader Pawan Khera said Eid was often used as a metaphor for joy.
{{/usCountry}}Congress leader Pawan Khera said Eid was often used as a metaphor for joy.
{{/usCountry}}Hitting back at the BJP, Khera said, “Does anybody in the BJP have a dictionary in their house? I am sure they don’t. But they have a mobile. Can they Google what Eid means? Eid means ‘tyohar’, Diwali ka ‘tyohar’, Holi ka ‘tyohar’ - that’s what he means.”
Congress leader Rashid Alvi made the same point. “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,” he said.
Bhatia said Kharge’s choice of words reflected the Congress leadership’s broader approach towards Hindu religious traditions. “This is the DNA of the Congress party. First, indulging in blatant appeasement of the Muslim community and second, hurting the sentiments of the Hindu community,” he said.
The BJP spokesperson also took issue with Alvi’s reference to air quality, alleging that Congress leaders selectively raised pollution concerns around Diwali while failing to speak about other forms of pollution. “Discrimination and selective outrage are precisely what these people indulge in,” Bhatia added.
Accusing the Congress of following a selective definition of secularism, Bhatia said, “The Congress party’s definition of secularism is to silence the majority. You have to silence the majority and surrender to the radicals.”