Rajasthan CM Gehlot Counters Allegations Of Appeasement Politics With Temple Visits & Saffron Flags

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and his government are doing everything, from Gau Puja to Mandir Darshan and hoisting saffron flags in temples, to counter the allegations of appeasement politics.

A few days ago Gehlot was seen doing Gau Puja at a government function to facilitate cattlemen and then was seen at the famous Govind Dev Ji temple in Jaipur. The saffron flags were hoisted at the government-run temples for the first time on Pushya Nakshatra, and Sahasraghat was done in Sawan last year.

These are only a few of many other acts of the Gehlot-led Congress government to prove that he and his party are not far from the majority Hindu community.

Notably, Hindutva has never been a major issue in the elections held in Rajasthan thus far because the state has not been very active in terms of communal politics. However, this time, incidents of communal violence in Karauli, Jodhpur, and other parts of the state, including the heinous beheading of Kanhiyalal in Udaipur, certain administrative prohibitory orders during festivals, the demolition of an ancient temple in Alwar under the guise of removing encroachments, the permission granted to the banned organisation PFI to hold a rally in Kota, and the recent acquittal of all the accused in the Jaipur serial bomb blast of 2008, have provided ample opportunity for the BJP to capitalise on the issue of appeasement politics in the state.

Will not let the Bjp-RSS do communal politics in the state: Gehlot

Gehlot has strongly countered the allegations of the BJP not only by word but with actions also. He can be very often heard saying “Am I not a Hindu? I am a Hindu but will not let the Bjp-RSS do communal politics in the state.”

The leaders of the party said that it is not that our government is working for Hindus or Muslims only. “Congress is a party of all communities and whatever our government is doing is a counter reply to BJP’s divisive politics,” said Swarnim Chaturvedi, the party’s spokesperson.

Gehlot’s soft Hindutva
-  An amount of ₹593 lakh was given for 593 temples coming under the Devasthan Department.
- The honorarium given to the priests was increased from ₹3000 to ₹5000.
- A budget announcement was made for the development of Jaipur's famous Govind Dev Ji Temple on the lines of Ujjain's Mahakal Temple.
-The number of beneficiaries has been doubled to 40,000 under the scheme Senior Citizens Pilgrimage scheme.
- Pilgrimages like Ayodhya, Baidyanath and Shravanabelagola have been added to the scheme.
- ₹80 crores have been sanctioned for Ghats of holy Pushkar Sarovar.
- ₹50.40 crores have been sanctioned for the development works at 10 temples, 2 forts and 2 memorials.