The Hindu : `Uma Bharti has hurt sentiments of devotees'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 01, 2003

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`Uma Bharti has hurt sentiments of devotees'

By Our Staff Correspondent

BHOPAL APRIL 30. The controversy over allegations that the Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Uma Bharti, had offered a cake to Lord Hanuman at the historic Jam Sanwli temple in Chhindwara district before embarking on her pre-election ``sankalp yatra'' earlier this month refuses to die down as the Congress general secretary, Kamal Nath, has now said that he will be joining a special ``shuddhi programme'' to restore the Jam Sanwli temple's sanctity.

Mr. Kamal Nath made this assertion in an informal chat with newsmen here last evening.

Mr. Kamal Nath, who arrived here yesterday to attend the first regional convention of the all-India Mev Vikas Parishad, said that he would be joining the ``shuddhi programme'' at Jam Sanwli since Ms. Bharti had hurt the sentiments of the people by offering a cake to Lord Hanuman. ``After the BJP leader had herself offered a cake at the Jam Sanwli temple, it was futile on her part to accuse the Chief Minister, Digvijay Singh, of raking up the cake controversy'', he said.

Mr. Kamal Nath was reacting to Ms. Bharti's reported statement that the Chief Minister had raked up the cake controversy to settle scores with him and other rivals in the Congress party.

The Chief Minister, who was also present said that he could only have pity on what ``she thinks or has to say''.

The State Minister, Deepak Saxena, who is considered close to Mr. Kamal Nath, had informed a group of newsmen in Mr. Digvijay Singh's presence at his residence last Monday that a ``shuddhi programme'' would be organised at Jam Sanwli.

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