New Delhi: A circular by Congress party on celebrating Hindu festivals Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti has become a major bone of contention between its own leaders, creating dissent in its Madhya Pradesh unit.

Congress MLA from Bhopal Central Arif Masood raised objection to party’s directive to celebrate the Hindu festivals. The circular, issued on April 2, on behalf of MP Congress chief Kamal Nath, directed party leaders to organise religious programmes to celebrate both the festivals. Ram Navami falls on April 10 while Hanuman Jayanti falls on April 16. On Hanuman Jayanti, the partymen were supposed to hold Sundarkand.

Arif Masood asked the party leadership why it was pandering to just one faith and ignoring others like Ramzan & Good Friday.

Our ideology takes everyone along & includes all religions, unlike others who talk about one religion, Masood added

In a circular MP Congress chief Kamal Nath reportedly
directed party leaders to organise religious programmes on April 10 & 16 to mark Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti pic.twitter.com/VcxLAitSsN

— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2022

“This order will set a wrong precedent. Such a circular should not be issued by any political party. We take along all the religions. The circular talks about only Ram Navami, Hanuman Chalisa, but not Ambedkar Jayanti, Ramzan or Good Friday,” he said.

BJP takes dig at Cong’s outreach to Hindu community

The grand old party’s outreach to the Hindu community is apparently because of its declining vote share in successive elections and inability to return to power in the state. Congress has been out of power in the state for about 20 years now in Madhya Pradesh, a state which sends tall leaders like Kamal Nath, Digvijay Singh & others.

As the Assembly elections are due next month, Congress has started groundwork to woo the Hindu community by catering to Hindu faith.

Reacting to the tussle within Congress over its outreach to particular community, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra made a sneering remark at the party and said that Bhopal MLA was right in his objections.

“Masood’s objection is right. He is not able to digest that Congress leaders who used to organise ‘Iftar’ during Ramadan, are now visiting temples and organising programmes for Hindu festivals,” Mishra told reporters.