BJP divided over ban on ashes immersion in Ganga

'Centre's proposed move will hurt our sentiments'

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have vowed to cleanse the Ganges but differences have cropped up within the BJP over Centre’s reported move to ban immersion of ashes in the holy river.

BJP MP from Gorakhpur Yogi Adityanath has decried the move to ban immersion of ashes in Ganges and said that it was against the established Hindu traditions and culture.

“It has now become very easy for any one to hurt the sentiment of the Hindus,” he added.

Speaking at a religious function at Ayodhya on Friday, the Bharatiya Janata Party Lok Sabha member said that earlier a ban had been imposed on immersion of idols in the Ganges and other rivers.

“First it was ban on immersing the idols and now there is a move to ban immersion of ashes,” he said.

He said that the government must first prevent the drainage of sewage into the Ganges.

“The government should first ensure that the industrial units do not drain their waste into the rivers, only then the Ganges and other polluted rivers could be cleansed,” he added.

Adityanath said that such decision should not be taken without taking the religious leaders and saints into confidence.

“Once the drainage of polluted waters is stopped, the religious leaders will take a decision on this issue,” he said.

Several other saints and religious leaders present there also expressed their serious resentment over the move to ban immersion of ashes in the holy river.
They also made it clear that they would not accept any decision which was against the tents of the Hindu religion.

“Millions of Hindus from across the world immerse the ashes of their near and dear ones in the Ganges,” they added.

Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti had recently said that immersion of ashes in the Ganges would not be allowed henceforth. She had claimed that the religious leaders had supported the decision.