Politics colours Chhath Puja festivities: Congress, BJP woo north Indian voters

Despite their respective plans, both parties accused each other of politicising the festival

With the parliamentary and assembly elections slated for next year, both, the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) choose to compete with each other to attract lakhs of north Indian devotees who gathered at Juhu beach to pay obeisance to the Sun God on the occasion of Chhat Puja on Tuesday.

Devotees offer prayers to the Sun god after taking bath on occasion of Chhath Puja, at Juhu Chowpatty on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was the chief guest for the BJP function while famed Maithili singer Ranjana Jha performed at the Congress event. Despite their respective plans, both parties accused each other of politicising the festival.

“The BJP always ensures a high-voltage event whenever the elections are in sight,” said Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam, who heads the Bihari Front. However, all the banners of Bihari Front Chhat Puja fest had photos of Congress president Rahul Gandhi prominently displayed alongside those of Nirupam.

The BJP-affiliated Chhath Puja Mahasangh debunked the accusations. “The chief minister has been attending the function regularly since the last three years and this has nothing to do with elections. It was Nirupam who brought the culture of song and dance to this religious celebration. However, we are against this and instead organise yagnas and bhajans for the people,” said Amarjeet Mishra, coordinator, Chhat Puja Mahasangh. Mishra also doubles as the general secretary of the Mumbai BJP.

The north Indian community is currently one of the important groups of voters in Mumbai and have the numerical strength to influence the electoral outcome.

Mishra defended inviting Fadnavis for the Chhat Puja event, saying he was responsible for the improved facilities for the festival. “In the past it was utter chaos. It was our government which improved the infrastructure and this has eased the situation for devotees,” said Mishra.

Chhath Puja is an important festival for people from Bihar and they gather in large numbers to worship the sun. However, the event garnered additional attention in 2008, when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray objected to the celebrations, alleging that north Indian migrants in the city were using the festival as a show of strength.

This year, tensions were lower as Thackeray had agreed to address the north Indian community in December to explain his ‘son of the soil’ agenda.