Hawan after desecration of 135-year-old Ramlila ground not related to caste or politics: BJP
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The purported purification of the Ramlila ground where Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed the public in Haldwani earlier in August is escalating into a heated controversy between the two national parties. The Bharatiya Janata Party State general secretary Tarun Bansal alleged that the Congress leaders are unaware of the significance of a Ramlila ground but are still indulging in politics to lend a casteist tint to the insult of Sanatan culture. Bansal said that attempts were made in the past to desecrate this 135 year-old Ramlila ground and similar public movements were held then too for preventing such acts. Slogans pertaining to another religion were raised and dirt was spread at the venue during the Congress rally. The party is levelling false casteist allegations to shield itself from such allegations.
Talking to the media at the BJP State headquarters here on Monday, Bansal opined that the Congress is frustrated and foreseeing a dark political future in the State. “This is the reason why the Congress, lacking real issues, is raising din by levelling fake casteist allegations to shield itself from its sin of desecrating a ground of religious importance. I am personally very well familiar with the Ramlila ground in Haldwani which is 135 years old and considered holy by the people. This is where the Kumaon region’s oldest Ramlila is held. Where the Congress gathering was held is also where a statue of Lord Hanuman is situated, whose worship holds special significance. In the 135-year history of this Ramlila ground there has not been any talk of casteism with members from all sections of society participating in portraying various characters in the Ramlila. In fact, the present leader of opposition in Vidhan Sabha, Yashpal Arya (considered to be a major dalit leader of the Congress) has also been a chief guest at a Ramlila on this very ground,” he said.
Referring to the latest controversy, Bansal said that it has been reported that some persons urinated, threw bottles and indulged in objectionable actions at the holy ground where a temple and Lord Hanuman’s statue are situated. Some persons found this objectionable and conducted a hawan to purify the holy ground, which has nothing to do with the BJP. He alleged that the Congress has been indulging in casteist politics since the nation gained independence. It has a tendency to link every issue with caste whereas the Haldwani case pertains to hurting religious sentiments. There should be no politics on such an issue, the BJP leader added.
