If we can share stage with maulanas, why not with Hindu priests, asks Congress’ Sanjay Nirupam

Mumbai city news: In the first meeting on Sunday morning, Nirupam said the cell was established to resolve the problems the Hindu temples and mutts and their priests were facing in the city.

The Mumbai Congress’s move of setting up a separate wing of Hindu priests and saints has not pleased everyone.

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam formed the Mumbai Sant Mahant Congress, a separate cell of the Hindu priests and religious leaders, about two weeks ago.(File)

Hours after the first meeting of the cell was held at a mutt in Vakola, senior Congress leaders have expressed their discontent saying this is not the agenda of the Congress.

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam formed the Mumbai Sant Mahant Congress, a separate cell of the Hindu priests and religious leaders, about two weeks ago.

In the first meeting on Sunday morning, Nirupam said the cell was established to resolve the problems the Hindu temples and mutts and their priests were facing in the city.

He said Congress believes in the secular ideology, but the perception that it is “anti-Hindu is totally wrong”.

The convenor of the cell, Dhyanyogi Omdasji Maharaj, said during the meeting that Ayodhya was as holy for Hindus as Madina to Muslims and Rome to the Christians.

Congress leader and former minister for minority development Arif Naseem Khan,later said the cell was not approved by the party high command and setting up such a separate unit in the name of any religion was not the ideology of the Congress. “It is a personal agenda of Nirupam,” he said.

Mohan Prakash, Congress general secretary incharge of Maharashtra, too, clarified the party high command has not given the permission to move. Senior Congress leaders reportedly questioned Mohan Prakash during his Mumbai visit last week.

Nirupam however said, “Congress believes in the ideologies of all the religions. If we can share dais with maulvis and maulanas, there is nothing wrong in joining hands with Hindu priests. The cell will function and conduct more such conventions. We are planning mahayagya and dharmasabha of hundreds of religious leaders after Navratri. As these priests are firm believer of secularism and Congress ideology, our endeavor would be to participate them to promote it.”