Punjab chief minister criticizes BJP’s ‘Sindoor politics’

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday sharply criticized the BJP, accusing the party of politicizing sacred Indian traditions through a reported ‘Ghar Ghar Sindoor Abhiyan’. He alleged that the BJP was misusing cultural symbols like sindoor to gain electoral advantage.

“They’re now seeking votes in the name of sindoor. What can one even say? They’ve turned a sacred symbol into a political gimmick,” Mann said during a campaign event for the Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll.

His comments were in response to reports that BJP workers were distributing sindoor to households as part of celebrations surrounding ‘Operation Sindoor’. The BJP, however, has denied organizing any such campaign.

“They claim they’ll send sindoor to every home. But what does that mean for the recipients—are they expected to apply it in Modi’s name? Is this now a ‘One Nation, One Husband’ campaign?” Mann asked sarcastically.

Mann’s criticism echoed that of senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who called the alleged sindoor campaign a “desperate political stunt”.

“Do chutki sindoor ka mahatva kya jante hai, Modiji?” Singh wrote on X (formerly Twitter), referencing a famous Bollywood line.

He added, “Sindoor in Indian culture is a deeply emotional and spiritual symbol—representing a married woman’s prayers for her husband’s long life and dignity. It’s not a political prop.” Singh suggested the BJP’s symbolic outreach bordered on absurdity, following campaigns like ‘One Nation, One Election’ and ‘One Nation, One Leader’. “Now it seems the PM wants ‘One Nation, One Husband’,” he quipped.

Singh also raised concerns that the symbolic act might be asking women, in essence, to accept the Prime Minister as a husband figure—prompting both criticism and mockery across political circles.

The Kerala Congress responded with satire, sharing a poster mocking the Prime Minister under the title “One Nation, One Husband”. The post referenced a reported month-long sindoor campaign set to start on June 9, which allegedly involves BJP MPs walking 15–20 kilometers daily as part of the drive.

In retaliation, the BJP’s Karnataka unit took to X to lash out at Congress, saying, “Congress insults Hindus every day, then blames EVMs when they lose. This is a script uglier than gold hidden in the dark.”