Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, who is in rebel mode these days as he is dissatisfied over ticket distribution in Maharashtra assembly election, has yet again criticised veteran party leader Mallikarjun Kharge. Nirupam said that Shastra Puja (weapon worship) is an old tradition and it can’t be called tamasha, but the problem is that Kharge is an atheist.
Sanjay Nirupam, Congress: ‘Shastra puja’ cannot be called a tamasha. There has been an old tradition of ‘shastra puja’ in our country. The problem is that Kharge Ji (Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge) is an atheist. In the Congress party, not everyone is an atheist. https://t.co/xFMmsXSTJj pic.twitter.com/0yEYC3RuGM
— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2019
Sanjay Nirupam was referring to Mallikarjun Kharge’s comments today where he had criticised Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for doing Shastra Puja of the 1st Rafale jet built by Dassault. The defence minister had performed the traditional rituals for the jet in France on 8th October, on the occasion of Dusshera and Vijaya Dashami.
Reacting to that, Kharge had said there is not need for such ‘tamasha’, adding that Congress government didn’t show-off the Bofors gun. The veteran Congress leader had made a massive self-goal in the process, as invoking the Bofors gun also leads to reminding people about the Bofors scam.
And now he is being criticised by his own party leader for the same. Sanjay Niruman said that the Shastra Puja cann’t be termed as Tamasha as Kharge claims, as there has been an old tradition of Shastra Puja in our country. He added that the problem is that Kharge is an atheist, but not everyone in Congress is an atheist.
Today Home Minister Amit Shah also hit back at Congress for criticising the Shashtra Puja, saying that the party should introspect the things that need to be criticised. “Rajnath Singh performed ‘shastra puja’ of Rafale yesterday in France. The Congress did not like it. Is ‘shastra pujan’ not performed on Vijayadashami? They should ponder over what needs to be criticised and what not,” Shah said in an election rally in Haryana.
Congress has problems with:
Air Force modernisation.
Indian customs and traditions.
For a Party used to worshiping Quattrocchi, ‘Shastra Puja’ is naturally a problem.
And, Kharge Ji, thank you for reminding us about the Bofors Scam. https://t.co/c2GummCK6x
— BJP (@BJP4India) October 9, 2019
BJP also said that the Congress party has problems with Air Force modernisation and Indian customs and traditions. “For a Party used to worshipping Quattrocchi, ‘Shastra Puja’ is naturally a problem. And, Kharge Ji, thank you for reminding us about the Bofors Scam,” said the party in a tweet posted from its official Twitter handle.
Nirupam had attacked Kharge on Monday also, when he said that Kharge is a strategist suffering from malafide intent. He had accused Kharge of calling a meeting to formulate strategy but denying others the opportunity to speak. He said that Khage spoke in the meeting and then made fun of him.
