Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey on Monday, 22 June launched a pointed attack on the Indian National Congress in Bhagalpur, asserting that while Congress treats the Gandhi family as divine, BJP workers and supporters revere deities such as Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. His remarks came amid the ongoing political row over the alleged misappropriation of donations meant for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

The Ram Temple Donation Controversy

The backdrop to Dubey's remarks is a deepening political dispute over funds allegedly diverted from Ram Temple donations. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations, publicly assuring that those found guilty will not be spared. Opposition leaders, meanwhile, have continued to raise questions over the matter, keeping the issue firmly in the national spotlight.

Dubey took direct aim at critics of the temple, saying those who had earlier dismissed Lord Ram as a mere figment of imagination were now making comments on affairs related to the Ram Temple. He also alleged that during Samajwadi Party governments, bullets were fired at Ram devotees — a claim he used to contrast what he described as differing attitudes toward Hindu faith across political parties.

Congress and 'Personality Worship': Dubey's Charge

'For the Congress, the Gandhi family is God. For us, Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, and other deities whom we worship are God,' Dubey said. The BJP MP further alleged that the Congress had never embraced nationalist sentiments or slogans such as 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai,' attributing this to a culture of personality worship that he traced back to the Jawaharlal Nehru era.

'They equated Indira Gandhi with India. This mindset has continued since the time of Jawaharlal Nehru. There is nothing new about it. The Congress worships individuals, so how can it acknowledge God?' Dubey said. The remarks are part of a broader BJP narrative that has repeatedly sought to frame Congress as a party defined by dynastic loyalty rather than ideological or cultural roots.

Dubey on Partition and Bengal

Dubey also endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent statement on Partition, in which the Prime Minister noted that efforts had once been made to include Bengal in Pakistan, but nationalist forces ensured that West Bengal remained part of India. Citing an article he had written, Dubey claimed that the Congress passed a resolution on 5 March 1947 supporting the partition of Bengal.

He alleged that despite widespread communal riots and bloodshed between Hindus and Muslims from Kolkata to Noakhali, Nehru proceeded with the partition of India. According to Dubey, all Congress MLAs in the then Bengal Legislative Assembly, irrespective of religion, voted in favour of partition. He further stated that a Partition Commission headed by Justice Bipin Kumar Mukherjee was formed on 30 June 1947, submitted its report within a month, and the plan was implemented on 19 August 1947, allegedly on the orders of Lord Mountbatten. These are Dubey's claims and have not been independently verified.

Bihar Encounter and Owaisi Remarks

On the Bhojpur encounter case in Bihar, Dubey said that Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has ordered an inquiry into the matter. He cautioned against rushing to label the encounter as fake or genuine while the investigation remains underway, urging citizens to trust the state's leadership.

Responding to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi's appeal to halt mosque demolitions in Rajasthan, Dubey said Owaisi should understand that action against illegally constructed religious structures would continue, and that he should instead support the administration's efforts. As political temperatures rise ahead of upcoming state contests, Dubey's remarks signal that religion and nationalism will remain central fault lines in the BJP-Congress confrontation.