Congress to organise religious programmes ahead of polls in Madhya Pradesh
The programmes will be held across all 230 assembly constituencies in the run-up to the polls due later this year to counter the Congress’s portrayal as anti-Hindu
An opposition Congress wing dedicated to religion and celebration in Madhya Pradesh plans to organise programmes across all 230 assembly constituencies in the run-up to the polls in the state due later this year to counter the party’s portrayal as anti-Hindu and to raise awareness about the religious side of its leaders, functionaries said.
A Congress leader, who did not want to be named, said the likening of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s affiliate Bajrang Dal to the banned Popular Front of India in the Congress’s poll manifesto in Karnataka this month and the pledge for action including banning of outfits spreading hatred among communities was again being used to portray the party as anti-Hindu. The Congress swept back to power in the southern state recording its best vote share and seats in over three decades.
The Congress leader said religious programmes are being organised to counter this portrayal of the BJP and its ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) of the Congress as anti-Hindu.
“Unlike the BJP, which is promoting two self-styled godmen to woo voters and push its agenda before the election, the Congress will organise small but effective religious programmes.”
The Congress roped in religious leaders such as Computer Baba and Mirchi Baba to organise programmes before it returned to power in Madhya Pradesh in 2018. It lost power two years later when 22 legislators quit Congress and resigned from the state assembly.
A four-member panel under former defence minister AK Antony earlier in 2014 blamed Hindu alienation among the reasons for Congress’s worst-ever Lok Sabha tally of 44 seats that year.
Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath formed the Dharmik and Utsav Prakosth wing with district and block presidents under spiritual storyteller Richa Goswami’s leadership to counter the BJP’s use of religion after the party’s loss of power in the state in 2020.
Goswami, who has an ashram in Jabalpur and Amarkantak, said she was always in touch with the Congress leaders and joined the party at Nath’s request. “I do not believe in religious show-off. ...I have been working for [Dharmik and Utsav Prakosth] for two years and now I have started working not to publicise but popularise the Sanatan Dharma and real devotees,” Goswami said.
Dharmik and Utsav Prakosth, which also projected Nath as a devotee of Lord Hanuman, has organised 30 religious programmes across the state in the last two years.
Congress leader J P Dhanopia said local party leaders will bear the expenses of the religious programmes this year and that common people will be invited to them.
After a meeting on election preparedness, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi this week said they will win 150 of 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh and form the government in the state. Madhya Pradesh is due to got to the polls this year along with two other states Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where Congress is in power.
BJP leader Rajneesh Agrawal said a party does not need a separate wing to organise religious programmes or have faith in God. “Religion is a matter of faith and belief; not planning and plotting. Congress is trying an image makeover with this wing but that will not succeed.”
