Hyderabad: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) Telangana unit has written to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Telangana, against Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Hindus with a recent comment on the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan. Demanding legal proceedings against KTR, the VHP also sought the cancellation of the BRS’s for ‘promoting communal hate.
At a meeting in Malkajgiri, KTR in a jibe at the BJP said that saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’ will not fill stomachs.
KTR was speaking at a campaign meeting for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. He had said that children chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ will not fill their stomachs or provide jobs. Writing to Telangana CEO Vikas Raj about this, VHP’s Shashidhar said that the ex-IT minister’s remarks “not only trivialize the significance of the revered name of Bhagavan Sri Rarn but also denigrate the beliefs and sentiments of rnillions of Hindus across the World”.
VHP’s state joint secretary R Shashidhar further claimed that KTR’s remarks not only insulted Lord Ram, but also implied that chanting the slogan holds no value. He added that it was “highly offensive and hurtful” to the sentiments of Hindus. The right-wing Hindu organisation also said that KTR’s father and BRS supremo also had insulted Hindus during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaigns.
“These statements caused widespread outrage among the Hindu community and prompted a strong warning from the Election Commission of lndia to TRS (BRS) and KCR. Given the history of inflarnmatory remarks targeting the Hindu community by both KCR and KTR, it is evident that their actions not only demonstrate prejudice but also violate the Model Code of Conduct established by the Election Commission of lndia,” stated the VHP.
Telangana goes to polls for the General Election in May. The state has 17 Lok Sabha seats.
