New Delhi: BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal on Sunday criticised AAP leader Sanjay Singh for his comments on PM Modi's vermilion campaign, accusing him of "losing his mental balance." Khandelwal defended the name 'Operation Sindoor,' saying it was chosen thoughtfully and reflects the campaign's significance. Speaking to ANI, Khandelwal said, "Sanjay Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not know the importance of 'do chutki sindoor.' He taunted PM Modi, saying vermilion is a symbol of a husband's longevity and respect in Indian culture. But after 'One Nation, One Election' and 'One Nation, One Leader,' it seems to be 'One Nation, One Husband.' I feel Sanjay Singh is losing his mental balance. Can anyone imagine the kind of thing they are talking about--one nation, one husband?" He emphasised that PM Modi understands the sanctity of vermilion and that Singh's remarks are baseless and invite ridicule. He added, "Who understands the sanctity of vermilion better than Narendra Modi? If they did not know its importance, then this operation should not have been named Sindoor. The name Sindoor was chosen very thoughtfully, and the people of the country recognised Sindoor as the right name for this operation against Pakistan. If Sanjay Singh or anyone else makes unnecessary statements on this subject, they will only become a subject of ridicule." Sindoor, which traditionally signifies the marital status of Hindu women, serves as a poignant reference to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre, several women lost their husbands, who were killed in front of them. The codename 'Operation Sindoor', under which India responded to the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack by striking nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), carried a message that was both emotionally resonant and symbolically heroic. On Saturday, Sanjay Singh criticised the BJP's 'Ghar Ghar Sindoor Abhiyan,' calling it a cheap political stunt and dubbing it the 'One Nation, One Husband' scheme. He questioned if this campaign implies that all women across India are being asked to accept the Prime Minister as their husband. "Do chutki sindoor ka mahatva aap kya jante hai Modiji?," said Sanjay Singh. In a post on X, Sanjay Singh said, "In Indian culture, women apply sindoor as a symbol of their husband's long life, respect and well-being. It reflects pride, dignity, and deep emotional meaning. But now, after pushing schemes like 'One Nation, One Election' and 'One Nation, One Leader', the Prime Minister appears to have launched 'One Nation, One Husband'," Singh said. The AAP leader questioned whether this campaign implies that all women in the country are being asked to accept Prime Minister Modi as their husband. Similarly, the Kerala Congress unit shared a poster of PM Modi with the caption 'One Nation, One Husband' as a jab at the BJP's campaign. The poster also highlighted a month-long campaign starting June 9, with MPs walking 15-20 km daily to promote sindoor distribution. In response, BJP Karnataka condemned Congress, tweeting, "Congress insults Hindus day in and day out, then blames EVMs on result day. A script uglier than the gold hidden where no sun shines." However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied media reports claiming that the party is visiting house to house to distribute sindoor (vermilion).
