BJP and Congress leaders are at odds over an alleged fish feast held by Congress supporters during a meeting in Ayodhya [1].
The dispute centers on the violation of Sanatan traditions during the Hindu month of Sawan, a period when many practitioners abstain from eating meat and fish. Because Ayodhya is a primary center of Hindu pilgrimage, the accusations have escalated into a broader political conflict over religious respect.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the government cannot allow acts that hurt the sentiments of the people of Ayodhya [2]. The controversy follows a Congress gathering in the Tarun area of the city in early September 2024 [3].
BJP leaders allege that fish was served at the event, which they describe as a deliberate insult to local customs. Mahant Raju Das, a priest at Hanuman Garhi, said Ajay Rai, the Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, is anti-Sanatan [1].
Congress leaders have denied the allegations. Sandeep Dikshit, a former MP and Congress leader, said nothing was consumed [4]. Rai challenged his critics to provide evidence of the meal, saying that he would resign immediately if pictures of the feast were produced [2].
Congress officials said the BJP is using the incident as a political tactic to divert attention from other issues. The reporting on the row surfaced between Sept. 2 and Sept. 5, 2024 [1].
While the BJP maintains that the event occurred and disrespected the sacred month, the Congress party maintains that no such feast took place. The disagreement remains a point of contention between the two parties in Uttar Pradesh.
“"Nothing was consumed."”
This clash highlights the high political stakes of religious symbolism in Uttar Pradesh. By framing the incident as an attack on Sanatan traditions during Sawan, the BJP leverages cultural identity to paint the Congress party as out of touch with local values. Conversely, the Congress party's demand for photographic proof suggests a strategy to frame the accusations as fabricated political theater designed to polarize voters.
