Bhubaneswar: In an apparent reference to the political row over his visit to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud's home for Ganesh Puja, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the "Congress and its ecosystem" were angry because he participated in Ganesh Puja.
Addressing a rally in Odisha's capital Bhubaneswar, the Prime Minister said, "Ganesh Utsav is not just a festival of faith for our country. It played a very important role in the freedom movement."
"Even at that time, the British who followed the policy of divide and rule used to hate Ganesh Utsav. Even today, the power-hungry people busy in dividing and breaking the society are having problems with Ganesh Puja. You must have seen that the people of Congress and its ecosystem are angry because I participated in Ganesh Puja," he said.
The Prime Minister visited Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud's home on September 10 on the occasion of Ganesh Puja. He also shared a photograph of offering prayers to the deity with the Chief Justice and his wife Kalpana Das.
"Joined Ganesh Puja at the residence of CJI, Justice DY Chandrachud Ji. May Bhagwan Shri Ganesh bless us all with happiness, prosperity and wonderful health," the Prime Minister said in an X post.
The visuals drew strong remarks from a section of the Opposition. Some leaders criticised the meeting, with one saying it sends an "uncomfortable message". The ruling BJP hit back, saying that attending Ganesh Puja is not a crime.
Sanjay Raut, Rajya Sabha MP and a leader of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) said such meetings raise doubts. He suggested that the Chief Justice should recuse himself from a case linked to the tussle between Shiv Sena UBT and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Manoj Jha, RJD leader and Rajya Sabha MP, said the independence of every institution is not just theoretical, but must be seen. "Ganpati puja is a personal issue, but you are taking a camera. The message it sends is uncomfortable. The Chief Justice of India and the Prime Minister are tall personalities. So what can we say if they agreed to put out these photographs in the public domain."
While the Congress's national leadership did not publicly comment on the Prime Minister's visit, its Mumbai unit responded to BJP leaders drawing parallels between the Prime Minister's visit to the Chief Justice's home and a visit by the then Chief Justice to an iftar party hosted by former PM Manmohan Singh.
"What they (BJP) fail to understand is the fundamental difference between a public event like an Iftar, held transparently in front of the media and the public, and a private religious ceremony at someone's residence, conducted away from public scrutiny," the Mumbai Congress said in a post on X.
In a sharp response to the criticism, Union minister Bhupender Yadav said the same people who applaud the presence of Prime Ministers at Iftar parties "find their guts twisting and turning" on seeing the Prime Minister at the Ganesh Puja at the Chief Justice's home.
"The executive and judiciary praying before Gods revered by crores of devotees across India reflects the real strength of Indian secularism. Deal with it," he said in a post on X.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla pointed out that a 2009 Iftar party hosted by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was attended by the then Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan.
Attending Ganesh Pooja is no crime. On many occasions judiciary and politicians share stage. On auspicious functions, marriages, programs - but if PM attends it at house of CJI , Uddhav Sena MP doubts integrity of CJI and Supreme Court. The Congress ecosystem attacks SC like Rahul Gandhi did in past," Mr Poonawalla said, adding that it's a "shameful contempt of court and abusing judiciary".