Chhattisgarh minister slams BJP for the misuse of 'Lord Ram' name

Chhattisgarh Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of the misuse of Lord Ram's name to seek votes. He also said that the BJP does not have a moral right to the deity and that Lord Ram is endowed in every corner of the country.

"There is a huge difference between our Ram and their Ram. What does Ram mean for the BJP? A way to collect donations and do business. Seeking vote in the name of 'Ramshila Pujan' and carrying out mob lynching in the name of Lord Ram?" Choubey said. Further differentiating Lord Ram he said, "Ram for Congress means Shabri's Ram, Nishadraj's Ram, and Ram of the vanvasi (forest dwellers), Maryada Purushottam Lord Ram." 

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Speaking about the upcoming festival of Dussehra he said, "Ramlila will be being organised in the state and we will be a part of the event," he added.

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About Dussehra

Dussehra is a Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. It is a gazetted holiday in India, which is marked on the 10th day of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the month of Ashvin (Ashwayuja), according to the Hindu calendar. This festival is celebrated across India by conducting pujas and plays from events of the Ramayana over the nine-day 'Navaratri' and burning effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad along with fireworks on the tenth day to mark the destruction of evil.

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Schemes launched by Chhattisgarh govt

Earlier, the Chhattisgarh government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, will launch five new schemes on October 2, to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The schemes are Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyaan (Chief Minister Nutrition Scheme), Mukhyamantri Haat Bazaar Clinic Yojana (Chief Minister Market Clinic Scheme), Mukhyamantri Shahariya slum Swasthya Yojana (Chief Minister Urban Slum Health Scheme), Universal PDS scheme and Mukhyamantri ward Karyalaya (Chief Minister Ward Offices). 

Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyaan has been started as a pilot project since June 2019 in some gram panchayats in Bastar, Chhattisgarh and other forest areas of the state. Under the scheme, fresh and nutritious food has been provided to malnourished children and anaemic women with the help of panchayats and self-help groups.

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(with ANI inputs)