New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS): Amit Malviya, the national convener of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s IT cell, has hit out at the Congress party after a video went viral showing the poster of Congress candidate Naseem Khan pasted on a picture of Lord Ganesha.

This incident occurred in the Chandivali constituency of Mumbai and has sparked outrage among BJP supporters, especially considering the deep reverence for Lord Ganesha in Maharashtra.

In a post on social media, Malviya condemned the act, accusing Congress of disrespecting Hindu sentiments. He alleged that the act was not only an affront to the Hindu community but also a deliberate attempt by the Congress to appeal to Muslim voters in the region.

“In an outright insult to the Hindu community in Maharashtra, Congress workers campaigning for Naseem Khan in Chandivali, stuck his poster on Ganpati Bappa’s picture. Ganpati Bappa is revered as Vighnaharta and Maharashtrians, among others, have deep emotional attachment to the deity,” Malviya in a post on X said on Thursday.

“We have all seen the massive celebrations in Mumbai during Ganeshotsav. This act of defiling Ganpati Bappa is pre-meditated and meant as a signal to Muslims in the region to vote for the Congress. Mumbai is seeing the worst kind of vote jihad post-partition. Congress is the new Muslim League,” he further added.

The controversy comes at a time when Naseem Khan, who earlier represented the Chandivali constituency from 2009 to 2019, is trying to reclaim the seat. In the 2019 elections, he lost narrowly to Shiv Sena’s Dilip Lande by a margin of just 409 votes. The constituency is witnessing a heated electoral contest, and this incident is likely to escalate tensions further.

The issue has become a flashpoint, with the BJP seizing on it to accuse the Congress of disrespecting Hindu religious symbols, especially in a state where Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most significant cultural celebrations.