Why not Har Har Mahadev? Revanth Reddy slams BJP's Ram politics, party hits back
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has accused the BJP of turning Lord Ram into a political symbol and questioned the party's frequent use of the slogan "Jai Shri Ram", contrasting it with what he described as the Dravidian tradition of worshipping Lord Shiva.
The remarks drew a sharp response from the BJP, which accused the Congress leader of creating political divisions between Lord Ram and Lord Shiva.
Speaking at a private event in Delhi, Reddy said on Monday, "We are Dravidians, and we have our own traditions and beliefs. We are devotees of Lord Shiva, while they identify more with Lord Ram."
"The BJP has, in a way, appropriated Lord Ram and turned him into a political symbol. It is an emotion and a sentiment," he said.
Reddy questioned why BJP leaders did not use the slogan "Har Har Mahadev" on public platforms as frequently as they used "Jai Shri Ram".
"Why don't they say 'Har Har Mahadev'? Prime Minister Modi and BJP leaders are always seen saying 'Jai Shri Ram'. Have you ever seen them say 'Har Har Mahadev' on a public platform?" Reddy asked at the event organised by Pratidin Media Network.
He further claimed that BJP leaders did not appear to like it when "Har Har Mahadev" was raised. He also sought to draw a distinction between the social imagery associated with Lord Shiva and Lord Ram.
"Lord Shiva is seen as the god of the poor, while Lord Ram is portrayed as the god of the rich. The BJP is a party of the rich. That is the simple logic behind it," he said.BJP HITS BACK AT REDDY
Responding to Reddy's remarks, BJP leader Bandi Sanjay Kumar accused the Chief Minister of creating political boundaries between Lord Ram and Lord Shiva.
"CM Revanth Reddy, who says 'Muslim is Congress, Congress is Muslim'’, is now drawing political boundaries between Lord Ram & Lord Shiva," Sanjay Kumar said in a social media post.
He said Reddy should be aware of the religious significance of temples associated with both Lord Shiva and Lord Ram in Telangana.
"Being the CM of Telangana that has 'dakshina Kashi' at Vemulawada and 'Dakshina Ayodhya' at Bhadrachalam, Revanth Reddy should know better than to divide Lord Rama and Lord Shiva into North and South," he said.
Sanjay Kumar also invoked the Hindu tradition of Lord Shiva consuming Halahala, or poison, and accused the Congress of creating divisions.
"Today, Congress is brewing its own Halahala: caste against caste, North against South, and now Shiva against Rama," he added.
Responding specifically to Reddy's question about BJP leaders using the slogan “Har Har Mahadev”, Sanjay Kumar referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's association with Varanasi and the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
"Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji represents Varanasi. Who is at the spiritual heart of Varanasi? Kashi Vishwanath, Lord Shiva," he said..
Sanjay Kumar also accused Reddy of invoking gods during elections and subsequently using them to create divisions.
“And when you ask whether BJP leaders ever say 'Har Har Mahadev', here is Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji himself saying it," he said.
The BJP leader also urged Hindus to recognise what he described as the Congress's politics of division.- Ends
Principal Correspondent at India Today. Reporting from Hyderabad Bureau. Basheer has keen interest in political stories, analysis, and crime stories. He keeps close watch on all happenings in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. A law graduate, journalist by passion and profession.
