‘What about Iftar? Congress anti-Hindu’: BJP’s Twin Tactics to Tackle ‘Double Standards’ over PM Visiting CJI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud’s residence on Wednesday for Ganpati Puja sparked a controversy, with the opposition expressing scepticism on judicial independence. But now the Bharatiya Janata Party has adopted a twin strategy to not just say that there’s precedence but also insinuate it’s an attack on a festival of the Hindu community.

While initial remarks came from BJP general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh citing “Civility, cordiality, togetherness”, soon the party’s second-rung leadership got down to doing what it is good at — messaging.

BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla cited a 2009 example when Congress Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s iftar party was attended by CJI KG Balakrishnan. He pointed out the sharp reaction to PM Modi’s visit to CJI Chandrachud’s residence for Ganesh Aarti as an example of double standards towards the BJP and Hindu festivals.

Speaking to News18, he underscored the same point. “Today Uddhav Sena has a problem with Ganesh Puja. This is how low they have gone for vote bank politics. The Congress party had always had a problem with Hindu festivities, Hindu deities, Hindu religion itself. We remember how Rahul Gandhi said those who visit temples tease women.”

Soon Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra, known for championing Hindu causes, posted on social media site X about the contrasting reactions to the two CJI-PM interactions in two religious setups.

Mishra told News18, ” There are two aspects to their protest. One, had it been an iftar party instead of Ganpati Puja, many wouldn’t object. It shows their anti-Hindu mindset. Two, do you want to discredit another democratic institution of this country.”

But when the matter was raised by senior lawyer Indira Jaising who served as additional solicitor general Of India, Priti Gandhi, who has been national social media in-charge for BJP’s women’s wing, posted a photo in which PM Singh and CJI Balakrishnan are seen at the iftar party.

For now, the BJP has turned around the opposition’s attack on the PM-CJI meet, particularly with an eye on Maharashtra where elections are coming and Ganpati is held in high regard.