Congress, its ecosystem "angry" with me for participating in Ganesh Puja: PM Modi; Congress hits back

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the "Congress and its ecosystem" were "angry" with him for participating in Ganesh Puja, remarks that came in the backdrop of questions raised by the opposition party over his visit to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud's home for the puja rituals.

Slamming the Congress, Modi said "power-hungry" people who were dividing the society were also having problems with the Ganesh festival and compared the opposition party with Britishers.

Modi was addressing a rally after launching the Odisha government’s flagship programme Subhadra Yojana in Bhubaneswar.

The Congress hit back at Modi and sought to link his visit to CJI's residence in Delhi with the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and raised concerns of impropriety. Such proximity between the chiefs of the executive and the judiciary raised "doubts" about the prime minister's intentions, it said.

"Ganesh Utsav is not just a festival of faith for our country. It played a very important role in the freedom movement," Modi told the rally.

"Even at that time, the British who followed the policy of divide and rule used to hate Ganesh Utsav. Even today, the power-hungry people, who are busy in dividing society are having problems with Ganesh Puja. You must have seen that the people of Congress and its ecosystem are angry because I participated in Ganesh Puja."

He also said that Lord Ganesh was "put behind bars" in Congress-ruled Karnataka by these people.

Modi was apparently referring to a viral photo of Ganesh idol in a police van in the southern state.

"The whole country is disturbed because of the picture," he said adding, "We cannot let these hateful elements move forward".

When the Britishers tried to divide the country based on caste and religion, Lokmanya Tilak had organised Ganesh Utshav and awakened the soul of the country, he said.

“Ganesh Utshav teaches us how to remain united and rise above caste and religion...even today, all sections of people in our society participate in Ganesh Utsav without any discrimination. The entire society stands united during the festival,” he added.

Reacting to the prime minister's remarks, the Congress accused him of misusing religion for politics, saying as Maharashtra elections were around the corner, he decided to go with an elaborate camera crew for the Ganesh Puja in "contravention of all principles of judicial separation".

"The difference between true bhakti and misuse of religion for politics is not hidden from anyone," Congress general secretary, in-charge organisation, K C Venugopal, said on X.

"Just when Maharashtra elections are around the corner, the non-biological PM decides to go with an elaborate camera crew, in full Maharashtrian attire, for the Ganesh Puja. Not only that, this is to the CJI’s house, in contravention of all principles of judicial separation. Did the PM not think about what message goes across?" Venugopal said.

"The BJP-RSS’ disregard for institutional integrity and constitutional values is well known, which raises further questions about why the PM chose to make this visit," he added.

"Mr. Prime Minister, stop misusing Lord Ganesha to deflect from the genuine questions raised about your impropriety."