Hyderabad: There have been some objections to a Maha Arati dedicated to Bharat Mata being planned by legislators of the BJP on January 26, Republic Day, at Tank Bund. The objection is that religion should not intrude into Republic Day, which is a secular event.
Amberpet BJP MLA G. Kishan Reddy is in the forefront of the Maha Arati brigade. The Maha Arati will be performed at a Bharat Mata statue that was installed at People’s Plaza on Wednesday. Also present at the Maha Arati will be other BJP politicians, Khairatabad BJP MLA Chintala Ramach-andra Reddy, MLC and city president N. Ramchander Rao, and Uppal MLA N.V.S.S Prabhakar.
When this newspaper enquired with the Buddha Purnima Project Wing (a government regulatory body that maintains the Hussainsagar) about how permission was granted for the Maha Arati, an official replied that “a request was sought by Bharat Mata Foundation and subsequently approved, for the Maha Arati on January 26th. However, no consent has been given by this office for installing a statue at People’s Plaza.”
The area falls under the Khairatabad Assembly constituency, whose MLA is C. Ramachandra Reddy of the BJP.
Major (retd) Ashish Naik told this newspaper that “Political parties are free to celebrate India as a Republic and the celebrations should be more about recalling all those who sacrificed their lives for the nation and also we should be thankful for the ones currently serving. It shou-ld attract patriotic fervour.”
A retired officer of the Indian Army Captain Pandu Ranga Reddy said, “The BJP political bigwigs are trying to emulate the Maha Arati at Hardwar. Neither is it good for them and for their political outfit nor for the people, but it incurs retribution. Also, history has proved that whosoever treats it sacrilegiously attracts misfortune. If politicians want to wrest power, they should be more secular and not desecrate such places,” said Mr Reddy.
While there are concerns about pollution of water bodies, Thakur Raj Kumar Singh, chairman of the State Human Rights and Consumer Protection Cell said, “During Kartika Masam a particular tree is worshipped and no harm is caused subsequently. Likewise, the Maha Arati will leave people with sentiments of protecting the lake and avoid polluting it.”
