Congress, BJP clash over women bodybuilders posing in front of Lord Hanuman cut-out at MP event

Mangalore Today News Network

Ratlam, Mar 07, 2023: A bodybuilding competition turned into a political wrestling match. Local leaders of the Congress and the BJP clashed over a bodybuilding competition organised in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam recently. The political slugfest took place after a controversy over women bodybuilders posing in front of an image of Lord Hanuman, the celibate patron deity of the sport.

 

The 13th Mister Junior Bodybuilding Competition was held on March 4 and 5, and it had women bodybuilders posing in front of a cutout of Hanuman.

 

हिंदू धर्म और बाल ब्रह्मचारी भगवान बजरंग बली का ऐसा अपमान इतिहास में कभी नहीं हुआ जैसा बीजेपी कर रही है। हनुमान जी की प्रतिमा के सामने नग्नता।

ये तो उन राक्षसों की तरह हो गए हैं जो भगवान से वर पाकर भगवान का ही द्रोह करते हैं।

भाजपा हिंदू धर्म की दुश्मन है। pic.twitter.com/Gaj68RBvF6

— Piyush Babele||पीयूष बबेले (@BabelePiyush) March 6, 2023

As soon as the competition got over, several local Congress leaders sprinkled ’ganga jal’ and recited ’Hanuman Chalisa’ to "purify" the venue, PTI reported.

The bodybuilding competition was organised by a committee consisting BJP mayor Prahlad Patel, while the patron was BJP MLA of Ratlam, Chaitanya Kashyap.

A video of the event, which surfaced on social media, showed women bodybuilders posing, leading to former mayor and Congress leader Paras Saklecha accusing Prahlad Patel and Chaitanya Kashyap of "showcasing indecency".

District Youth Congress Committee president Mayank Jat said Lord Hanuman would punish those who were involved in the event.

State BJP spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai hit back, claiming the Congress did not want to see women excelling in sports. Some of the organisers of the event submitted a memorandum to police, demanding action against the Congress leaders.

Meanwhile, Piyush Babele, the media advisor of MP Congress chief Kamal Nath, sought an apology from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan alleging the event, which was held to mark the CM’s birthday on Sunday, was "disrespectful to Hindus and Lord Hanuman".

Courtesy: India Today