Uddhav Thackeray talks about Hindutva but did not participate in the ongoing Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, said Ramdas Athawale
Ramdas Athawale. File Pic
Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday claimed that Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi "insulted" the Hindu community by not visiting the Maha Kumbh, and Hindu voters should boycott them, reported the PTI.
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Uddhav Thackeray talks about Hindutva but did not participate in the ongoing Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, said Ramdas Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader from Maharashtra and a BJP ally.
"Uddhav Thackeray and the Gandhi family have insulted Hindutva by not participating in the Maha Kumbh. Being Hindu and not attending the Maha Kumbh is an insult to the Hindus, and Hindus must boycott them," he told PTI Videos.
They should have taken part in the Maha Kumbh considering the people's sentiments, said the Union Minister of State for Social Justice.
"They always want Hindu votes, despite that they skipped Maha Kumbh. I think Hindu voters must boycott them," Athawale added.
Hindu voters did teach these leaders a lesson in the recently held elections, he further said, referring to the Maharashtra assembly elections of November 2024.
The 45-day Maha Kumbh at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj culminates on Mahashivratri.
Maha Kumbh, a mega religious gathering that takes place once in 12 years, began on January 13 (Paush Purnima) and saw grand processions of Naga Sadhus and three Amrit Snans. As per official figures, over 65 crore devotees have so far visited this year's Kumbh in Prayagraj.
According to government data, by 2 am on Wednesday, over 11.66 lakh devotees immersed themselves in the Sangam on Mahashivratri, which marks the last day of the Kumbh. The number surged to 25.64 lakh in the next two hours and 41.11 lakh by 6 am. By 10 am, 81.09 lakh people had taken the final 'snan' at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers, as per the PTI.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath began monitoring the arrangements at the Kumbh Mela at 4 am from Gorakhpur with senior government officials.
Being the last auspicious 'snan' of the Maha Kumbh, a large number of devotees had begun to gather on the banks of the Sangam from close to midnight, and while some camped and waited patiently to take the dip at the 'Brahma Muhurt', scores of them performed the bathing rituals well before the appointed time, according to the PTI.
(with PTI inputs)
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