After Vasundhara Raje Sindhia, another leader has attained godly status. This time it is Congress President Sonia Gandhi who has been depicted as Goddess Durga in a picture displayed at the party office in Moradabad.
The poster in question printed at Vishal Printing Press, shows a smiling Gandhi wearing a crown that reads Dharm nirpekshta (secularism), slaying demons named Atankvad (terrorism) and Bhrasthachar (corruption) while riding a tiger named shasan (government). Her eight arms are variously labelled — minorities, Yuva Dal (Congress youth wing), women, farmers and human rights.
Ajay Saraswat Soni, the district’s Congress President says the party has nothing to do with it. “The person who printed the poster came to us during the elections but we refused to use it because of the Model Code of Conduct. He, however, left behind one copy which is now displayed at the office,” claims Soni.
“This is an artist’s conception and he is free to give expression to his creativity. It does not necessarily depict what the party believes in,” he adds. But not everyone is amused.
Protests have already started in Bareilley and Moradabad where anti-Sonia slogans were raised.
Sudhanshu Saket, of the Brahmin Prantiya Sabha, which is leading the protest in Bareilley, says: “This is a deliberate ploy to hurt the feelings of the Hindus. We shall not let this go”.