After glaring defeat in the assembly elections and diminishing relevance of the Congress in the societal sphere, the party’s Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Kamal Nath instructed party workers to celebrate the upcoming Ramnavmi and Hanuman Jayanti within the state. However, Arif Masood, an MP from Bhopal, has objected to Kamal Nath’s orders stating that Congress being a secular party should take along people from all faiths.
After Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s temple runs did not materialise Congress’ exercises in soft Hindutva, Kamal Nath has now ordered its foot workers in Madhya Pradesh to celebrate the Hindu festivals of Ram Navami falling on April 10 and Hanuman Jayanti on April 16 this month. However, Congress MP from Central Bhopal Arif Masood objected to the decision stating that Congress is a Secular party. Talking to the media on Tuesday, Masood said, “Such instructions from the top brass will set wrong precedents.”
“Why such directives were not issued for Congress workers about celebrating Ramadan and festivals of other faiths? Being a political party, Congress should not have issued such a circular. We take along all the religions,” Masood was replying to some questions by the media. Masood added that he would not hesitate in raising any issue that will harm the party’s prospects and go against its constitution. “My colleagues in Congress and other party workers celebrate Ram Navami with fervour but there was no need to issue any circular,” he added.
Further pointing out Congress leader Chandra Prabhash Shekhar’s letter, Arif Masood said that it did not mention the ongoing Muslim fasting month of Ramzan, Chaiti Chand, and Mahaveer Jayanti. “I objected because for Congress all the festivals should be equal,” Masood commented.
According to reports, Madhya Pradesh Congress had asked its workers to celebrate the Hindu Festivals by organising mass recitals of the Sunderkand and Hanuman Chalisa. Narottam Mishra, Home minister of the state took a dig at Congress saying infighting within the Congress is not surprising because it is only concerned for the Muslims. To be noted, Arif Masood is the same leader who infamously wished to crush French President Emmanuel Macron’s face in the Prophet cartoon row in 2020. The radical Islamist leader had filed a plea in the MP High Court in a move to oppose Surya namaskar programmes being held in government schools to commemorate 75 years of Independence.