Top political leaders, hitting the campaign trail in the states which are gearing up for elections, are making a beeline for the temples, Muslim shrines and other religious places accompanied by large crowds of local people.
Voting for Assembly seats is scheduled to be held in the states of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the union territory of Puducherry from 27 March to 29 April. Election results will be declared on 2 May.
If scenes of recent electioneering are anything to go by, then being photographed at places of worship with head bowed and hands folded has become an important strategy when campaigning.
West Bengal chief Mamata Banerjee has set a record of sorts after visiting no fewer than 19 temples and one Muslim shrine in her constituency in two days last week before she succumbed to a foot injury.
সনাতনী মমতা।
— Banglar Gorbo Mamata (@BanglarGorboMB) March 10, 2021
নন্দীগ্রাম দিচ্ছে রায়, বাংলা নিজের মেয়েকেই চায়।#DidirSatheNandigram#BanglaNijerMeyekeiChay pic.twitter.com/dFAg6kPHpx
The fact that she was returning after a visit to a temple when she hurt her foot has also prompted people have a dig at her.
Thing needs to be observed - Mamta Banerjee got injured after her visit to a 'temple' in her constituency...
— MAYANK SINGH RAJPUT (@MAYANKS90861925) March 10, 2021
Did Mamta Banerjee pay for her words about Hinduism? @Gajjusay @goelgauravbjp @KumarAnilBJP @BJP4Abhijeet @santoshupbjp @OmkumarMla
The federal government home minister and BJP leader Amit Shah offered prayers at Suchindram Temple in Kanyakumari city, Tamil Nadu state during his visit ahead of state Assembly polls. During his visit to the state of West Bengal, in December last year, his first stop was the Ramakrishna Mission and Siddheswari Kali temple in Midnapore city.
Congress party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra chose to take a dip in the Triveni Sangam - the point where the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers all meet - while visiting Uttar Pradesh state’s Allahabad city last month. She also visited the Mankameshwar Temple in the city and met Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, a prominent religious leader.
While electioneering in Assam, Priyanka Gandhi offered prayers at Kamakhya temple.
We welcome AICC General Secretary, Smt. @priyankagandhi ji to the land of Goddess Kamakhya.
— Sushmita Dev (@sushmitadevinc) March 1, 2021
May the divine blessings be on all of us. #PriyankaGandhiWithAssam #AssamBachao https://t.co/UIcnkyVszR
Delhi Chief Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday that his Aam Aadmi Party government would take senior citizens on a free trip to Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya city. He added that as well as travel, food, and accommodation will be covered by the Delhi government.
However, the temple-hopping antics of politicians have not impressed spiritual leaders who consider it hypocritical.
“It is a sham, politicians offering prayers in religious places. It is just an attempt to target communities on religious grounds to get votes. It is all a political strategy. Why don’t they pray in private, behind closed doors? They want to be seen in religious places publicly,” Acharya Somdutta of Arya Samaj, a spiritual outfit, told Sputnik.
And the hugely popular spiritual leader, Sadhguru, said in a recent interview with a TV channel: “Temple going by politicians has nothing to do with the Hindu way of life. They are just trying every trick possible to get the maximum number of votes. It is just pure politics".
“Instead of saying what they will do they are just trying to show how they are. I don't care who you are but only what you will do if elected to power. Every citizen must ask what will you do if I give you my vote,” the spiritual leader added.
Netizens are also dripping with sarcasm at the heightened spiritual posturing of politicians at a time of elections.
Leaders who embraced Hinduism due to political compulsions of new Indian
— Sandeep (@IndiaUnleashed_) March 9, 2021
1) Rahul Gandhi - Multiple temples
2) Priyanka Gandhi - Holy dips etc
3) Arvind Kejriwal - Hanuman bhakt
4) Digvijay Singh - Multiple yajna
5) Mamta Banerjee - Temple visit spree
Please add@amitmalviya
This is what happens with all these politicians. Come elections, they will start running around temples like Mamta Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal in order to woo the Hindus by boasting of their hindu ideology and we simply fall into their trap.
— Dr.Deepanjali Mishra (@Dipanjalimishra) March 10, 2021