Refrain from commenting on Hindu Rashtra: JP Nadda to party MPs.

Distancing from Hindu Rashtra demand of Bageshwar Dham Pontiff, BJP President JP Nadda restrains party MPs.

Embarrassed with Hindu Rashtra, Nadda’s instructions come after several leaders of the party ecosystem were seen promoting the Hindu Rashtra Demand of  religious leader Dhirendra Krishna Shashtri of Bageshwar Dham in Madhya Pradesh…  

Amrita Madhukalya |  DHNS | New Delhi | Feb 17, 2023:: BJP president J P Nadda has asked party MPs to refrain from commenting on “Hindu Rashtra” and other claims of fringe entities.

Speaking on Friday through a virtual meeting with the party’s lawmakers, Nadda said leaders are free to follow their religious preferences in any manner they choose to, but advised them against endorsing any religious leader on a public platform.

Nadda’s instructions come after several leaders of the party ecosystem were seen promoting the Madhya Pradesh religious leader Bageshwar Baba. Party MP Manoj Tiwari was also seen singing at a gathering of the religious leader at the Bageshwar Dham.

The development also comes in the wake of comments made by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at an event earlier this month. His comments denouncing casteism led to an outcry among the RSS’s core supporters. Consequently, the RSS issued a clarification.

Prior to that, in an interview to RSS mouthpiece Organiser, Bhagwat said the outfit stands by its idea of a “Hindu Rashtra”. “Sometimes circumstances force you to change direction… We may take an unplanned turn, but never lose sight of our direction… The direction remains the same. Hindustan is a Hindu Rashtra,” Bhagwat said in his interview.

During his conversation with the party MPs, Nadda stressed on the need to reach out to under-represented communities. “Tribal communities, minorities among minority communities, and the marginalised are the people we must reach out to,” an MP from the South said.

With an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP is casting its net wide among tribal communities to make up for possible losses it might face in areas and among communities it won in 2019.

Another Rajya Sabha MP said the lawmakers were asked to intensify their preparations for the Lok Sabha elections by aiding in booth committee work. “We have been asked to take part in booth Sashaktikaran (strengthening) exercises, similar to  the Lok Sabha Pravas duties we were given earlier,” the legislator said.

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Courtesy: Deccan Herald.