M Kharge Asks If Ganga Dips During Mahakumbh Would End Poverty. BJP Replies

As BJP leaders race to take the holy dip during the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has taken a swipe. At the ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow, Mr Kharge said BJP leaders kept taking dips for the camera.

The Congress president questioned if taking dips into the Ganga would end poverty in the country or fill hungry stomachs. “I don’t want to question anyone’s ‘aastha (faith)’. If anyone feels bad, I apologise. But tell me, when a child is dying of hunger, is not going to school, labourers are not getting their dues, at such a time, these people are spending thousands of rupees and competing for taking dips (in the Ganga),” he said, adding that the dips continue till it appears good in photographs.

“Such people cannot benefit the country. Our faith is in God — people perform ‘puja’ at home every day, all women step out of their homes after performing ‘puja’, there is no issue. But we have an issue with the poor being exploited in the name of religion,” Mr Kharge said. Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha