BJP opposes ban on Ganesh pandals in Telangana, calls it ‘anti-Hindu’

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Telangana government banned the public installation of Ganesh pandals in a move to contain the disease. The state BJP, however, was quick to dub it an "anti-Hindu".

BJP Telangana unit president and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay alleged, "The TRS government, which distributed biryanis and kaju pista during Ramzan month is imposing strict rules, depriving devotees from offering Pulihora prasadam during Navratri. There is nothing more shameless than this." He also alleged that the state government is attempting to divide Hindu society by eyeing the minority vote in the upcoming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections. 

Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind of the BJP also hit out at the government’s decision to ban public celebrations of Vinayaka Chavithi.

The Telangana government has also prohibited public gatherings for Muharram and Vinayaka Chavithi. However, the BJP decided to call the decision taken in view of the public health as "anti Hindu".

TRS on the other hand alleged that BJP is merely trying to create communal unrest in the state. TRS spokesperson Manne Krishank said, "BJP state president is speaking like a street leader. He should rise up to a level of state president of a national party and an MP. He should at least know what other states where BJP is in power are doing."

Denying BJP’s allegations, he said, "There were restrictions for Ramzan, there are restrictions for Muharram. Such statements from Bandi Sanjay and Arvind appear a desperate attempt to break public harmony in Telangana for political gains."

Senior political analyst and commentator Palwai Raghavendra Reddy said BJP attributing motives to the government's decision is nothing but desperation, given that just weeks ago the national party had accused the TRS of mishandling the COVID-19 crisis in Telangana. "Political parties play politics but at times it borders on stupidity. BJP's politics over restrictions in view of the pandemic is nothing but stupidity."

Reddy said that the Telangana government's decision to impose certain restrictions on any events that result in large gatherings is legitimate as they are similar to restrictions by any BJP-led government in other states owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The senior analyst said, "The tendency to see everything  from Hindu-Muslim prism has increased very much over the last few years, earlier we used to see such things in north India but now south India appears to be witnessing it too. We are going to see more of such desperation in times to come ".

As on Friday, Telangana had 21,687 active cases of COVID-19 against a total of 99,391 cases with 737 deaths.