A day after the stunning expose of ‘defame PM Modi’ toolkit allegedly created by the Congress party, Swami Avdheshanand Giri, the Acharya Mahamandleshwar of the Juna Akhara, has issued a strong statement denouncing the opposition party and its friendly media’s efforts to paint the Maha Kumbh festival as a ‘Covid superspreader’ to malign the Hindu festival and the ruling party.
In a video message, Swami Avdheshanand admonishes those who tried to defame the festival through the well-crafted ‘toolkit’.
Strong statement from @AvdheshanandG on Kumbh politicisation pic.twitter.com/GCGppmN0Jg
— Naveen Kapoor ANI (@IamNaveenKapoor) May 19, 2021
“A toolkit has been spreading propaganda that Kumbh was the reason behind the spread of COVID-19 cases across the country. The culture, rituals, faith and traditions of the nation are being tarnished in a well-planned manner. Politicising the Kumbh is not good. The saint-community highly condemns this,” he said.
Politicising the Kumbh is not good: Swami Avdheshanand slams Congress toolkit
He says that Kumbh is not only exclusive to Hindus but has also received recognition from UNESCO. By maligning the religious festival, vested interests are tarnishing India’s culture, rituals, faith and traditions, said Swami Avdheshanand.
In 2017, Kumbh Mela, the largest peaceful gathering of pilgrims on earth, had made it to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In the video message, Swami Avdheshanand urged people to not fall for the malicious propaganda, instead carefully look over the facts before drawing any conclusion. He says that at the time when the Kumbh festival was being held in Uttarakhand, the cases in other states were already on the rise while the situation was not severe in the state (Uttarakhand).”
The Hindu saint expresses his vexation over vested interests, for their well-coordinated efforts to malign India’s culture, heritage and values.
He said, “A toolkit has been spreading propaganda that Kumbh was the reason behind the spread of COVID-19 cases across the country. While the Kumbh was ongoing in Uttarakhand, the cases in other states were already on the rise while the situation was not severe in the state (Uttarakhand).”
“The culture, rituals, faith and traditions of the nation are being tarnished in a well-planned manner. Politicising the Kumbh is not good. The saint-community highly condemns this,” he said.
Swami Giri reprimanded the propagandists who he believes exhibited their shallow mindset by politicising a religious festival like Kumbh to mint their political fortunes amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
He further pointed out that the Kumbh was ended just after Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested for symbolic Kumbh in the view of rising coronavirus infections. “Have faith in the values and traditions of the country you are born in. Politicising Kumbh is not right,” he added.
Congress toolkit paints Kumbh as Covid superspreader, projects Eid as ‘happy gathering’
On May 18, a 4-page Congress toolkit designed to destroy PM Modi’s popularity and image over the government’s handling of the Covid crisis laid exposed.
The document gave a detailed description of how to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defame Hindus, get ‘tailored’ articles attacking the Indian government in international media, and generally fan an anti-Modi hatred among the masses.
The document titled ‘Cornering Narendra Modi & Covid Mismanagement’ began by highlighting how the ‘Kumbh Mela is to be used to malign the Hindu festival and the ruling party. The “toolkit” suggested politicizing the congregation by repeatedly labelling it as a ‘super spreader’ to hint at BJP’s Hindu politics.
The viral “toolkit” purportedly asked Congress workers to use phrases such as “Indian strain” and “Modi strain” on social media and to “keep using the term super spreader Kumbh”. Besides, it encouraged non-party office bearers and supporters of the party to propagate Eid as a ‘happy gathering’.
