BJP accuses Kharge of appeasement over Eid remark; Congress hits back

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge of appeasement politics and hurting Hindu sentiments by calling Diwali the “Eid of happiness”.

Extending his Diwali greetings over the weekend, Kharge had told reporters that Diwali is a major festival celebrated by everyone in India and described it as ‘khushiyon ka Eid’.

“Diwali is Diwali, and Eid is Eid. Why is it that when it comes to Diwali, which has its own sanctity, tradition and identity, you choose to call it Eid while extending greetings to Hindus?” questioned BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Monday, alleging that the Congress sought to dilute the identity of Hindu festivals.

Congress defends Kharge

Congress leader Pawan Khera countered that Eid was often used as a metaphor for joy. “Does anybody in the BJP have a dictionary in their house? I am sure they don’t. But they have a mobile. Can they Google what Eid means? Eid means ‘tyohar’, Diwali ka ‘tyohar’, Holi ka ‘tyohar’ - that’s what he means.”

Congress leader Rashid Alvi made the same point. “Clearly, when it comes to expressing joy, Eid is often used as a metaphor, much like how, when someone reappears after a long absence, people ask, ‘Kya tum Eid ka chand ho gaye ho?’ Eid is synonymous with joy,” he said.

Also Read | BJP slams Kharge for calling Diwali 'Eid of joy', dares Congress to call Eid ‘Diwali of joy’

‘This is DNA of Congress’: BJP

Bhatia said Kharge’s choice of words reflected the Congress leadership’s broader approach towards Hindu religious traditions. “This is the DNA of the Congress party. First, indulging in blatant appeasement of the Muslim community and second, hurting the sentiments of the Hindu community,” he said. He accused the Congress of following a selective definition of secularism.

The BJP spokesperson also took issue with a reference by Alvi to air quality, alleging that Congress leaders selectively raised pollution concerns around Diwali while failing to speak about other forms of pollution. “Discrimination and selective outrage are precisely what these people indulge in,” Bhatia added.