‘Insult to Sanatan’: Fish serving at Congress event in Ayodhya during holy ‘Sawan’ month sparks row

Fish servings during a welcome programme for Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai in the sacred city of Ayodhya during the holy month of Sawan have landed the party in a new controversy. The UP Congress president, who was in Ayodhya on Sunday, visited the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple and Hanuman Garhi. He reportedly also recited the Hanuman Chalisa at Hanuman Garhi before attending the welcome programme in Tarun Bazar where fish was served

The controversy erupted after a video surfaced on social media showing fish being prepared at a banquet hall, where the welcome programme was organised for Rai, Congress state in-charge Rajpal Gautam, national spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh and Purvanchal in-charge Abhishek Dutt.

The event was organised by Congress leader Ram Nihal Nishad, who recently joined the party.

The serving of fish during Sawan, a month considered religiously significant by Hindus, drew objections.

BJP MLA Ved Prakash Gupta said, “During the month of Sawan, crores of Sanatanis are engrossed in the worship of Lord Shiva. Consuming fish at this time is an open display of Congress’s anti-Sanatan mindset. Congress should understand that the faith of the Sanatan society is not a political laboratory. Visiting Ayodhya, bowing down in temples, and then consuming fish exposes the dual character of Congress. The public will respond to those who toy with Sanatan faith.”

‘We are following the Constitution,’ event organiser defends food choice

Ram Milan Nishad, the event organiser from the Congress party, however, defended the choice, saying every individual has the constitutional right to eat food according to their preference.

Nishad, who joined the Congress on 23 June, and is claiming a ticket from the Congress for the Gosaiganj assembly seat, said, “It is not written anywhere in the Constitution that fish should not be eaten in Sawan. We are following the Constitution.”

‘Insult to Sanatan traditions and sentiments of devotees’

Organizing a fish feast during Sawan is an insult to Sanatan traditions and the sentiments of millions of devotees, said BJP leader Kamlesh Srivastava.

Congress should stop the politics of appeasement, he said, adding that the people of Ayodhya will never accept such a mockery of religious sentiments.

Meanwhile, Congress District President Chetanarayan Singh said, “I don’t know about the fish feast incident. We went with President Ajay Rai. We came back with him. If that’s the case, Ram Nihal Nishad should not have done that.”

Ajay Rai attacks BJP after temple visits

After offering prayers at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi and Hanuman Garhi temples, UP Congress president Ajay Rai targeted the BJP government, alleging that oppression and injustice were taking place across the country.

“Today, there is oppression and injustice happening across the entire country,” Rai said.

He also alleged that the BJP government had “stolen the offerings presented at Lord Ram’s court” and said he had prayed to Lord Hanuman to give wisdom to those who had allegedly stolen the temple’s money.

“I have prayed to Hanumanji for action against oppression and injustice in the country and state. Now we trust Hanumanji more than the government,” he said.