'BJP playing with religious sentiments of Poorvanchalis'

A Congress MLA today accused BJP of playing with the religious sentiments of Poorvanchalis in Delhi by announcing that it would declare a holiday on Chhath festival if it comes to power after the elections.
"The BJP knows it well that number of gazetted holidays can't be increased without first removing one from prescribed list of holidays. BJP is only playing with the religious sentiments of Poorvanchalis," Congress MLA Mukesh Sharma said, adressing a meeting during his 17 km long padyatara here.
The Parliamentary Secretary to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said the city government has already declared restricted holiday on Chhath Puja and Delhi is the second state, after Bihar, to declared a holiday for the festival.

"For Congress and Delhi government, Chhath is a symbol of religious faith. We are making all arrangements for the smooth conduct of the Puja at all the 72 ghats," Sharma said.
Sharma accused BJP of having double standard towards Poorvanchalis and politicising the issue for narrow political gains.
"If the party is really concerned about welfare of Poorvanchalis, it should right away break alliance with Shiv Sena and MNS, which have made life difficult for the people from Bihar and Poorvanchal in Maharastra," Sharma said.

He also criticised BJP-ruled three municipal corporations for failing to maintain hygiene or cleanliness on the Chhath ghats.

He said prior to Congress government in 1998, no government department had ever thought of Chhath ghats, though BJP was in power between 1993 and 98.
"It was only during the Congress regime that government took note of this, got the gram sabha land and constructed ghats and also maintains them throughout," he said.
BJP President Vijay Goel had written a letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Naseeb Jung on Monday urging him to direct the city government to make necessary safety arrangements at water bodies and especially the ghats along Yamuna river for Chhath Puja to avoid a repeat of a tragedy as was witnessed during Ganesh idol immersions.