Congress Accuses BJP of Insulting Hindu Saints Over Prayagraj Magh Mela Incident

The Congress on Monday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh over the alleged mistreatment of Swami Avimukteshwaranand at the Prayagraj Magh Mela, accusing the ruling party of “insulting Hindu saints” while using religion as a tool to retain political power.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress spokesperson and chairman of the party’s Media and Publicity Department, Pawan Khera, condemned the reported denial of permission to the Shankaracharya to undertake the traditional Rajasi Snan (royal bath) on Mauni Amavasya, calling it a grave violation of centuries-old religious customs.

“The BJP has always used religion to gain power, but today it stands exposed for insulting Hindu saints themselves,” Khera said. “A tradition that survived Mughal rule and British rule has been disrupted under the present government. This shows the BJP’s sheer hypocrisy.”

Khera alleged that the Shankaracharya was not allowed to proceed in a palanquin for the royal bath, an unbroken religious practice, and that his disciples were assaulted during a confrontation with the police. Playing a video of the clash at the press conference, Khera said the incident amounted to a “betrayal of faith.”

“This government is biting the very hand that feeds it,” he remarked, adding that the BJP was “neither for work nor for Ram,” but driven solely by “power and money.”

The Congress leader further alleged that the Shankaracharya was being targeted for raising uncomfortable questions for the government, including the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya before its completion, alleged mismanagement during the Mahakumbh, and the sight of bodies floating in the Ganga during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Drawing a sharp comparison, Khera questioned the differential treatment meted out to religious figures. “Why does RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat enjoy Z-plus security while the Shankaracharya and his followers are stopped, restrained and allegedly assaulted?” he asked. “Does the BJP consider Bhagwat to be a bigger religious leader than a Shankaracharya?”

Reacting to reports that the Shankaracharya had publicly expressed fear for his safety and apprehended a possible conspiracy under the guise of a stampede, Khera said it was “deeply alarming” that a senior Hindu seer felt unsafe in Uttar Pradesh, which is governed by what he termed a “triple-engine government.”

Khera also pointed out that the Shankaracharya had gone on an indefinite fast in protest against the incident, but claimed that the government had shown no urgency or sensitivity. He alleged that a coordinated social media troll campaign was being run against the seer for questioning the government, and demanded the Prime Minister’s immediate intervention and a public apology to the saint community.

Stepping up his attack, the Congress spokesperson criticised the Yogi Adityanath government over the vandalism of the statue of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar in Varanasi, ridiculing the Chief Minister’s claim that visuals of the damaged statue were AI-generated. “It is not artificial intelligence; it is the government’s shamelessness,” Khera said.

Khera also targeted the Centre over the Kanhaiya Lal murder case in Udaipur, stating that despite the case being handed over to the National Investigation Agency by the previous Congress government in Rajasthan, justice had not been delivered even after 12 years of BJP rule at the Centre.

Referring again to arrangements during the Mahakumbh, Khera alleged that special facilities were reserved for the wealthy and influential, while ordinary devotees were neglected. “For the BJP, faith is business—and business itself is its faith,” he said, accusing the ruling party of using religion as a political shield while disregarding genuine religious sentiment and tradition.