This Article is From Jun 13, 2017

Gujarat BJP Ministers Enjoy Black Magic Show, Call It 'Divine Worship'

The Congress called the participation of the two ministers in the event 'shameful'. It was organised by the local BJP unit at a temple in Gadhada town of Gujarat's Botad district.

Gujarat BJP Ministers Enjoy Black Magic Show, Call It 'Divine Worship'

Gujarat ministers Bhupendrasinh Chudasama and Atmaram Parmar were seen at an event honouring exorcists.

Ahmedabad: Two Gujarat cabinet ministers waded into a controversy after they were seen in a video attending an event to felicitate exorcists in Gujarat's Botad district. The event was held on Saturday and the issue came to the fore on Sunday after a video of the event went viral on social media.

As per the invitation card, the event was organised by the local BJP unit at a temple in Gadhada town of Botad district on Saturday.

In the video, Gujarat Education and Revenue Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama along with local MLA and state Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Atmaram Parmar can be seen on the dais watching a couple of exorcists beating themselves with metal chains to live music near the stage.

Later, around 100 exorcists can be seen shaking hands with the ministers on the stage as part of their felicitation.

The Congress called the participation of the two ministers in the event "shameful" and "encouraging superstition", and demanded the two ministers be sacked. "Our Constitution has a provision which talks about eliminating superstition and building scientific temper. And here we have two ministers doing exactly opposite. By attending such an event they have violated the spirit of the Constitution just for votes," senior Congress leader Arjun Modhvadiya said.

However, unfazed by the controversy, Mr Chudasama on Sunday said that those present on the occasion were "worshippers of divine power". "I attended the programme because it was a gathering of worshippers of divine power, not those who spread superstition," he told reporters.

"Aren't they part of the society? We are in public life and have to meet people from different groups. Can't one part of the society meet another part? They are worshippers of the divine goddess and can be found in Gujarat and in other parts of the country," Mr Chudasama.

"We are in political life and during elections we do meet different strata of society. What's wrong in that?" he told reporters.

Taking strong exception to the ministers' presence at the event, prominent rationalist Jayant Pandya said he would write to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to stop ministers from attending events that promote superstition.

"This is for the first time I have seen ministers attending such an event, where exorcists were felicitated. This is very shameful. I will write to the CM to stop government functionaries from attending such programmes which spread superstition," said Mr Pandya, who heads the NGO 'Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha'.

With inputs from PTI
 
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