BJP posters draw objection for placement

Amritsar: Giani Raghubir Singh, the former head granthi of the Golden Temple, has condemned a poster campaign for Bharatiya Janata Party's Jagmohan Singh Raju that placed images of Sikhism's holiest shrine near garbage dumps and open sewers.He called for the immediate removal of the political advertisements featuring Raju, warning that the campaign had "deeply hurt" the sentiments of the Sikh community. The controversy erupted after posters promoting Raju appeared across Amritsar. While the use of religious iconography in political campaigning is a sensitive issue in Punjab, the former head granthi's primary objection centered on the placement of the material. "This is a direct violation of the sanctity of the Golden Temple and an act of gross disrespect," he said.He noted that while using images of holy sites for political publicity is inherently problematic, the decision to paste those in "filthy spots" compounded the offence. Arguing that no politician should be permitted to use the dignity of gurdwaras to bolster personal popularity, he has formally called upon local authorities to strip the posters from all unsanitary locations."If someone insists on using these images, such posters should at least be placed only in clean and respectful areas," he added. Raju's office has not yet issued a formal response. The incident follows a period of heightened sensitivity in Amritsar regarding the intersection of faith and electoral politics. MSID:: 128971966 413 |