Responding to the recent criticism received for attending a Ganesh pooja hosted at the Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud’s residence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at the Congress for “infusing poison in the society”.
The Prime Minister was speaking at the inauguration of the Subhadra Yojana for women in Bhubaneswar in Odisha on Tuesday, September 17.
Without naming the CJI, PM Modi said, “At a time when we are bidding farewell to Lord Ganesh, you have seen Congress and its ecosystem expressing anger over the past few days because I attended a Ganesh Puja.”
He further pointed out another recent incident in Karnataka, governed by the Congress party, saying, “In Karnataka, they (Congress) committed an even greater offence by placing an idol of Lord Ganesh behind bars. The entire country is disturbed by these images.”
“This will prove dangerous for the society,” PM Modi said, adding, “We should not let these hatred groups move ahead. We have to achieve many goals by staying together.”
PM Modi further said that Ganesh Chaturthi was an important factor during India’s independent movement.
“Ganesh Utsav is more than just a festival of faith. It played a key role in India’s freedom struggle. At a time when the British were sowing divisions based on caste and using the ‘divide and rule’ strategy to maintain power, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak awakened the spirit of the nation by transforming Ganesh Utsav into a public celebration,” he said.
On Hyderabad Mukti Diwas – annexation of Hyderabad with India, PM Modi said, “When foreign forces sought to destabilize India after its independence, and opportunists attempted to divide the nation for their power, Sardar Patel stepped up with remarkable resolve, uniting the country. September 17 is not just a date. It serves as a reminder of our duty to uphold the unity of our nation.”
