After Poll Win, AAP MLA Announces Recitals To Honour Lord Hanuman

Blessed with a re-election from South Delhi's Greater Kailash, AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj has said he will organise recitals of 'Sundarkand', a chapter from the Hindu epic 'Ramayana', every first Tuesday of the month to pay respects to Lord Hanuman.

The announcement, that came days after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal credited the God for his party's stunning win with 62 of the 70 Assembly seats, drew a fair amount of criticism for combining religion and politics.

"It all started when Arvind Kejriwal visited a Hanuman temple in Connaught Place, which is a very popular temple. He was criticised for that and he was made fun of...He was also criticised for reciting Hanuman Chalisa...In making fun of AAP and Arvind Kejriwal, the BJP also made fun of Lord Hanuman," he told NDTV.

"We had said Lord Hanuman will burn the 'Lanka' of BJP in Delhi. And we have decided that we will keep reminding them how they have ridiculed Lord Hanuman and how they have ridiculed Arvind Kejriwal for being a Hanuman devotee," he added.

The 40-year-old politician said the taxpayer's money will not be used for these events. "I don't think it needs much money... this event was funded by workers... In the morning I had announced we will hold this every month, and right now I have sponsors till December," he said.

Mr Bharadwaj also denied the accusation of bringing in religion into politics.

"The state should not get into religion, the state should be equidistant from all religion.  But I, as a legislator, I am free to practice my faith," he said.

In the run-up to one of the polarising elections in recent times, members of the AAP had sought to counter a campaign pitch by some BJP leaders that invoked Hindutva and slogans like "Jai Shri Ram" with their own displays of faith in Lord Hanuman.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited a Hanuman Temple in Central Delhi and even recited the Hanuman Chalisa when asked by a television anchor before voting day.

The BJP hit back, claiming Mr Kejriwal was using "soft Hindutva" in his desperation to win the Delhi election and the party's Delhi chief Manoj Tiwari even said the Chief Minister had "compromised the temple's purity".

Mr Kejriwal had retorted to the BJP's attack, saying everybody had the right to seek Lord Hanuman's blessings.

In his victory speech, Mr Kejriwal had thanked "Hanuman-Ji". "Today is Tuesday, the day of Hanuman-ji. Hanuman-ji has showered Delhi with blessings. Thank you, Hanuman-ji," he had said.