New Delhi buzzed with sharp political rhetoric on Monday as Congress leader Pawan Khera unleashed a scathing critique of the central government. Speaking at a press briefing, Khera, who chairs the AICC’s media and publicity department, painted a picture of nationwide chaos under what he called a mismanaged regime.
Khera zeroed in on the controversies surrounding the royal bath during the Magh Mela and Mahakumbh, traditions unbroken even by Mughal or British rulers. He accused the government of obstructing these ancient rituals, specifically barring Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand from participating.
Drawing a stark contrast, Khera highlighted the Z-plus security and 50-vehicle convoy afforded to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. ‘Is Bhagwat greater than the Shankaracharya?’ he demanded. ‘Why the excessive protection for him while saints are humiliated?’
He alleged VIP arrangements for the wealthy at Mahakumbh, while ordinary devotees and ascetics faced mistreatment. Disciples of the Shankaracharya were allegedly dragged by their hair, a scene Khera said was heartbreaking.
Khera didn’t stop there. He referenced Odisha, where BJP supporters chanted Hanuman Chalisa outside a police station demanding the release of a killer, and Rajasthan’s Udaipur case, where justice for Kanhaiya Lal’s family remains elusive despite promises.
‘BJP isn’t for work or Ram; they’re only for power and money,’ Khera declared. He noted the Shankaracharya’s ongoing fast, ignored by the government, which has unleashed a ‘troll army’ against him for refusing to bow. ‘Kings should bow to saints, not vice versa,’ he asserted. Without action, Khera warned, the government would be branded not Sanatanis, but ‘Dhanatanis’ – devotees of wealth.
Congress, Khera emphasized, shuns religion-based politics and won’t tolerate it. His words underscore deepening rifts over faith, tradition, and governance in India’s polarized landscape.