Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 8: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s Diwali greeting, in which he described the festival as the “Eid of happiness”, has triggered a political controversy and drawn sharp reactions from rival parties, with the remark going viral on social media.
While extending festive wishes to the nation, Kharge told reporters that Deepawali was a festival of happiness and an “Eid of joy”. He described the festival of lights as a celebration of peace, harmony and national brotherhood, stressing that festivals celebrated by all communities bring people together.
Kharge also urged citizens to use the festive occasion to strengthen unity and remove social divisions.
The use of the word “Eid” to describe the traditional Hindu festival drew mixed reactions. Congress leaders and supporters defended the statement, saying Kharge intended to promote communal harmony and mutual respect. They maintained that the word was used in its broader sense of a joyous celebration and served as a metaphorical appeal for unity across cultures.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, strongly criticised the remark. BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari and other party leaders described it as an example of “appeasement and vote-bank politics”. Bhandari accused the Congress leadership of being “anti-Sanatan” and alleged that it had deliberately linked a Hindu festival with an Islamic one under a single term.
Hemang Joshi, Vadodara MP and national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, also joined the criticism.
“Kharge-ji, you said that Diwali is an 'Eid of joy', so is Rahul Gandhi the Mir Jafar of 'New India'?” he asked.
AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan also criticised Kharge, describing the remarks linking Diwali and Eid as a political tactic aimed at electoral gains.
“Diwali is a grand festival celebrated with immense enthusiasm by our Hindu brothers, and Eid is equally a celebration shared by all,” Pathan said.
“Statements equating the two festivals are nothing more than a political stunt to appease a specific voting community,” he added.
Pathan further said voters had become increasingly discerning and asserted that the electorate would deliver a fitting response in the upcoming elections.
The controversy has once again brought into focus the political differences that surface during major festivals. While the Congress maintains that Kharge's remarks were intended to underline shared happiness and social cohesion, the BJP has portrayed them as an attempt to dilute Deepawali's distinct cultural identity.