Himanta Biswa Sarma, in an interview with Bloomberg Quint, had said that unlike the Congress, leaders of the BJP were much rooted in Indian culture. That became obvious when the official Twitter handle of the Karnataka unit of the Congress Party mocked BS Yeddyurappa for bowing down to Yogi Adityanath when the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh visited the southern state for his party’s election campaign.
Mr. Yeddyurappa, at-least now, show some self respect, and stop bowing to an outsider who can’t even win his own seat!
#KannadaSwabhimanapic.twitter.com/pK2raRdkea
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) March 14, 2018
Anyone remotely aware of Indian traditions will know that it is in the ethos of India to bow down before a saffron-clad Sadhu or Sanyasi to offer respect. Yogi Adityanath is not merely a politician, he is the Mahant of Gorakhnath Math, a Temple that occupies a special place in the hearts of Hindus across the county. Karnataka Congress’ tweet only goes on to show their utter contempt for anything Hindu and their ineptitude towards respecting Hindu ideals. The Congress’ knowledge and respect for Hindu traditions are limited to aspects of it that can fetch them votes and help win elections.
When BS Yeddyurappa bowed before Yogi Adityanath, he did not bow before a politician, he bowed before a religious leader of the Hindu community. If the Congress Party is under the impression that the Warrior Priest will cease to command respect from Hindus merely because he is a politician, then they will be well advised to come out of their caves.
The Congress Party, of course, is not alien to insulting Hinduism. They are, after all, the party which tried to create the myth of Hindu Terror. And their President, Rahul Gandhi, had once said that Hindu Terror was more of a threat to India than Islamic terrorist groups. But it seems now that the party, by describing Yogi Adityanath as an outsider, has decided to openly divide Indians along regional lines. Earlier, Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah had tried to fan linguistic chauvinism by pledging to fight against ‘Hindi imposition’ by the Central government.
The Congress’ relationship with Hinduism has long been a complicated one. From the very beginning, the Congress party has oscillated between a complete disregard for Hindu interests in its pursuit of minority appeasement secularism to Temple visiting sprees to ensure electoral victories. Recently, the Congress has been trying to create fissures within the Lingayat community and fuel demands of a separate minority religion tag for the sect to ensure its return to power in the Assembly elections this year.
The official handle of the BJP’s state unit in Karnataka, which has taken Twitter by storm recently, has again tweeted a strong reply to the Karnataka Congress’ tweet mocking BS Yeddyurappa.
The first step in becoming a Congressi is to submit one’s spine & intellect at the threshold of 10 JP.
It’s just amazing that the party which elected a serial election loser as their President is lecturing us not to bow down to a Sadhu just because of ONE LS bye election loss! https://t.co/wDjUCvj67S
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) March 14, 2018
Hindus on Twitter weren’t too pleased either with the disrespect for Hindu traditions meted out by Karnataka Congress.
Look who’s speaking! A party where everyone not only bows to the outsider of Italy, but also embraces the slavery of her buffoon son! Why a habitual offender of Hindu sentiments, Siddaramaiah, is so afraid of Yogi Adityanath who couldn’t even save his own seat? https://t.co/GmViQiNHAI
— PS ? (@ParinSays) March 15, 2018
Some pointed out the lack of Hindu ‘sanskar’ within the Congress party.
Yogi Adityanath is head of a Hindu religious denomination with millions of followers. Congress never had any Hindu sanskars so can’t understand why a Hindu bows to saffron clad saints. After all Indira Gandhi got fire opened upon Hindu Saints demanding cow protection measures. https://t.co/i3Q3W4aUIr
— Divya Kumar Soti (@DivyaSoti) March 15, 2018
Others demanded that the Gandhis visit Gorakhnath Math and seek blessings from its Mahant to prove that they are Hindus after the fiasco by Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat which has raised serious speculation regarding his faith.
Congress people says that Nehru Gandhi’s always go to the temples and are true Hindus. I will believe them only when they will go to Gorakhpur and ask for blessing of Mahanta Adityanath! https://t.co/awCCf8Ia5m
— Adivaraha (@vajrayudha11) March 14, 2018
By mocking BS Yeddyurappa for bowing to the Mahant of Gorakhnath Math, the Congress Party has once again revealed that it has no respect for the culture and traditions of the people it seeks to govern. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party would do well to remember that to govern a country effectively, respect and understanding of the culture of its people are of paramount importance.