'Religion for electoral gains only': Cong slams BJP after minister seen 'washing hands' near shivling

The opposition parties launched a scathing attack on BJP and accused it of 'using the religion for the purpose of electoral gains only'.

Amid the raging controversy over alleged objectionable remarks on 'Sanatan Dharma' by Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin triggering a sharp attack on the opposition parties by the BJP, an Uttar Pradesh minister stirred a major controversy after he was caught on camera washing hands near the 'shivling' at a famous Shiva Temple in the state's Barabanki district.

A video, which went viral on social media platforms, purportedly showed UP minister Satish Sharma washing his hands by the side of the 'shivling' as another UP minister Jitin Prasada looked on.

The opposition parties launched a scathing attack on the BJP and accused it of ''using the religion for the purpose of electoral gains only''. ''These people (BJP leaders), who indulge in politics in the name of religion, don't even know that it is not proper to wash hands so close to the shivling.....these people have neither faith in the religion nor in the faith of the people,'' a post on Congress' official X (formerly twitter) handle said on Monday.

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya also attacked the BJP over the issue. ''BJP only believes in marketing of the religion....its leaders have no respect for the religion,'' Maurya, who recently came under attack after his comment on the Hindu religion, said.

Sharma, however, sought to clarify the matter saying that he had washed his hands away from the 'shivling' on the instruction of the priest, who had conducted the 'puja'. ''I can not even dream of doing anything irreligious,'' he remarked when queried about the video on Monday.

Sharma, however, sought forgiveness from anyone whose feelings might have been hurt by the act. ''It was not my intention to hurt anyone's religious feelings,'' he added.

The video, however, provided ammunition to the opposition camp, which felt the heat after Udayanidhi Stalin's reported remarks that Hinduism should be 'eradicated'.