A political controversy has erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described Diwali as an “Eid of happiness” while extending festive greetings.
Speaking to reporters on Diwali, Kharge said the festival was an occasion of joy that brought people together and gave families an opportunity to meet their loved ones. He also called for peace, harmony and national unity.
The BJP criticised the remark, accusing Kharge of engaging in appeasement politics. Party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari described the Congress as “anti-Sanatan” in a post on X, alleging that the party was using the festival to appeal to a particular vote bank.
Bhandari also referred to recent comments by Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi about the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid. In an interview with The Guardian ahead of the release of her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, Gandhi recalled watching the mosque’s demolition on television and said she had cried.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also criticised Gandhi’s remarks, claiming they reflected sympathy for Babur within the Congress.
Reactions to Kharge’s remark
Congress leaders and supporters defended Kharge, saying he had used the expression to convey shared happiness and promote communal harmony. They argued that his message was about bringing people from different communities together, not equating the religious significance of the two festivals.
BJP leaders, however, said the comparison diluted Diwali’s distinct cultural identity. Hemang Joshi, Vadodara MP and national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, also criticised Kharge and questioned Rahul Gandhi’s political position in a social media post.
AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan also took issue with Kharge’s remarks, calling them a political tactic aimed at electoral gains.
Pathan said Diwali was celebrated with enthusiasm by Hindus and Eid was a festival shared by people across communities. He described attempts to link the two festivals in political statements as a move to appeal to a particular section of voters.
