The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Tuesday, 29 September criticised Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy over his remarks comparing Lord Ram and Lord Shiva, saying the Congress leader should focus his energies on serving marginalised communities rather than weighing in on theological debates.

What the SP Said

SP spokesperson Ashutosh Verma made the party's position clear, saying: 'I think you are the Chief Minister of a state. You should not get involved in matters concerning God. Use the powers given to you by the Constitution to work for the poor, backward, Dalit, minority and oppressed people. Matters concerning God, and which God is greater or smaller, should be left to saints, seers and spiritual leaders.'

The SP's rebuke is notable because it comes from an opposition party that is not aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — signalling that Reddy's remarks have unsettled a broad political spectrum, not just the ruling party at the Centre.

What Revanth Reddy Said

The controversy stems from remarks Reddy made at a media event in New Delhi on Monday, where he questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders exclusively use the slogan 'Jai Shri Ram' and do not similarly chant 'Har Har Mahadev'.

'We are Dravidians. Here (North India), people are Aryans. We are devotees of Shiva, while people here are devotees of Lord Ram. BJP stole Ram. It's an emotion; a sentiment. Why does Modi ji not say, 'Har Har Mahadev'? Have you ever seen BJP people say 'Har Har Mahadev' on stage? They only say, 'Jai Sri Ram'. When we chant 'Har Har Mahadev', they don't like it,' Reddy stated.

He also described Lord Shiva as the 'God of the poor' and Lord Ram as the 'God of the rich', while adding that both deities are revered by people.

BJP and Congress Responses

The BJP responded sharply, questioning the manner in which Reddy sought to draw distinctions between the two deities and between North and South India. The remarks also reignited a broader political debate over the use of religious symbolism in electoral politics.

Congress, however, rallied behind Reddy. Congress leader Madhu Yaskhi Goud accused the BJP of exploiting religion for political gain, saying: 'The BJP is the one that has profited politically by creating division in the name of God. Today, the BJP is the one that stole the donations collected in the name of Lord Ram Himself. What right does someone who collects donations in God's name and steals them have to question us? First, you should answer the nation.'

Goud further alleged: 'With all the money you collected by raising the 'Jai Shri Ram' issue, when the Ram Temple inauguration took place, you distributed rice across the entire country. So you were the ones doing politics, not us. Our Chief Minister wants to prove that the BJP has fallen so low that they even exploit God just to come to power.'

The Bigger Picture

This comes amid a longstanding political contest over the ownership of religious identity in Indian electoral politics. The Dravidian–Aryan framing invoked by Reddy echoes historical debates around cultural identity in South India, though critics argue such framing risks deepening regional and communal fault lines. Notably, it is not the first time a Congress leader's remarks on religion have drawn pushback from within the broader Opposition bloc.

How the controversy develops in the coming days will depend in part on whether Reddy clarifies or doubles down on his remarks — and whether the BJP chooses to amplify them in the run-up to any upcoming state elections.