While celebrations were held by Congress leaders and workers across the country, a major political controversy emerged from the Varanasi unit of the Youth Congress. Members of the organisation carried out a religious worship ceremony on the banks of the Ganga River, where they displayed a poster depicting Rahul Gandhi as Lord Parshuram. The image showed him holding an axe in one hand and the Constitution of India in the other.
The workers performed ritual offerings involving milk on the poster and conducted a Rudra worship ritual accompanied by Vedic chants. They also cut an 11-kilogram traditional Indian sweet cake and prayed for Rahul Gandhi’s long, healthy, and successful life.
The act of portraying Rahul Gandhi as Lord Parshuram triggered strong political reactions, with the Bharatiya Janata Party strongly criticising the Congress. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak termed the act unacceptable and described it as an insult to Lord Parshuram. He stated that Lord Parshuram is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and said it was incomprehensible to compare Rahul Gandhi with the deity, adding that those opposed to Hinduism cannot make such comparisons.
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also condemned the act, stating that Congress workers had insulted Lord Parshuram. He further remarked that while Congress leaders allegedly criticise Hinduism throughout the year, they selectively invoke religious sentiments on symbolic occasions.
Defending the ceremony, Vikas Singh, president of the Varanasi Youth Congress, said the actions reflected emotional devotion toward their leader. He stated that just as Lord Parshuram is believed to have eradicated evil, Rahul Gandhi is seen by them as fighting against negative forces.
Congress spokesperson Alok Sharma also defended the event, stating that those involved in the ceremony are Brahmins and claim lineage from Lord Parshuram, and that the act was a display of emotional expression.
The incident has intensified political tensions, highlighting the sensitivity surrounding religious symbolism in political expression and further deepening the ideological divide between the two major national parties.
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