Complaint Filed Against Tharoor After Tweet on Yogi’s Kumbh Visit

Shashi Tharoor took a dig at Yogi Adityanath after the UP CM and some ministers took a holy dip at the Kumbh Mela.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath takes a holy dip in the Kumbh Mela.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Yogi Adityanath)

A complaint was filed before Patna Chief Judicial Magistrate on Thursday, 31 January, against Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, ANI reported.

The complaint comes amid the controversy sparked by Tharoor, after his tweet on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath following the latter’s visit to Kumbh Mela.

In a veiled dig at the CM on 29 January, Tharoor tweeted in Hindi, "Ganga has to be cleaned but sins also have to be washed here. Everyone is naked in this Sangam. Hail mother Ganga."

Adityanath and several ministers took a holy dip at Sangam in Prayagraj after holding the first-ever UP Cabinet meeting at the Kumbh Mela venue on Tuesday.

Tharoor ‘Insulted’ Hinduism: Smriti Irani

Tharoor’s tweet drew strong reaction from the BJP, which accused the MP of insulting Hinduism by "ridiculing" the ongoing ‘Kumbh’ with "tactical support" from Congress President Rahul Gandhi, reported PTI.

Noting that Kumbh is a festival of faith and a symbol of Hindu beliefs, BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani told reporters on Wednesday, 30 January, that Tharoor's comments were tantamount to "religious slur” and “insult”, according to PTI.

“It is appalling and he has done it with tactical support of Rahul Gandhi,” she said, claiming Gandhi’s silence showed that Congress president supported Tharoor.

Tharoor has often made comments targeting Hinduism, Irani alleged.

The minister also said that Gandhi had allowed his party leaders to attack the beliefs of Hindus but strategically wears 'janeu' (holy thread) when elections are round the corner.

Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister SN Singh also slammed Tharoor and said, “How will he understand importance of Kumbh? (The) Atmosphere he's in, culture he has been brought up in, doesn’t understand this. You people have committed a lot of misdeeds, take a holy dip in Kumbh and you might be able to repent for your sins.”

(With inputs from PTI)