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In a bizarre suggestion that has sparked controversy, Chintu Verma, the district BJP chief of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, has proposed the use of cow urine (gaumutra) as a purification ritual for visitors entering garba pandals during the upcoming Navratri festival. Verma believes that having visitors sip gaumutra at the entrance would not only cleanse them but also serve as a measure to deter unwanted elements from entering the venues.
Verma's suggestion stems from his belief in the sacredness of cow urine within Hinduism. He argues that it has been used for purification purposes by seers and sages for generations and that therefore, offering it as prasad (sacred offering) to visitors would be acceptable to Hindus. This claim, however, has been met with strong opposition from the Congress party, who see Verma's suggestion as a blatant attempt to further the BJP's agenda of communal polarization.
Neelabh Shukla, a spokesperson for the Congress party's state unit, has criticized Verma's statement, questioning why the BJP leader is obsessed with politicizing the cow and ignoring the plight of cows in shelters. He argues that Verma's proposal is nothing more than a tactic to exploit religious sentiments and create divisions among the people, particularly in light of the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana. Shukla has challenged Verma to demonstrate his own commitment to the practice by sipping cow urine himself and posting a video of it on social media.
This is not the first time that a BJP leader's remarks have ignited controversy around the Garba festival in Madhya Pradesh. The incident highlights the sensitive nature of religious beliefs and practices, and the potential for these beliefs to be exploited for political gain. Verma's proposal has sparked a debate on the limits of religious practices, the role of politics in religious celebrations, and the need for responsible discourse on sensitive issues.
Source: 'Make visitors sip gaumutra at every garba pandal entry': Indore BJP chief