Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifts sandalwood to the Pashupatinath temple near Kathmandu after praying there on Monday
Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's
puja at a temple in Nepal on Monday sparked a row that led to an adjournment in the Lok Sabha today. Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, who raised the issue, said the PM should have also wished people on Eid last week.
"The Prime Minister offered Puja at a temple in Nepal. We appreciate that. He must also communicate 'Eid Mubarak'", Mr Bandyopadhyay said to loud protests by BJP lawmakers.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu responded, "We believe in
sarva dharma sambhava (all religions are equal)... PM had greeted the nation on Eid also."
The PM prayed at the famous Pashupatinath temple near Kathmandu yesterday during his two-day trip to Nepal. He sanctioned Rs 25 crore for a '
dharamshala' at the Hindu landmark and also offered 2,500 kg of sandalwood at for the temple.
(Read)His visit to the Himalayan nation was the first by an Indian prime minister in 17 years, though leaders have routinely attended regional summits in Kathmandu.