Rajasthan Politician Worships Chief Minister as Durga

November 7, 2006

JAIPUR (November 05, 2006): In a case of sycophancy scaling new

heights, a minister in the Rajasthan government worships Chief

Minister Vasundhara Raje as an equivalent of Hindu goddess Durga and

even performs daily rituals before her photograph:

Rajasthan Minister for Urban Development Pratap Sing Singhvi has a

photograph of "Goddess Vasundhara" at his official residence here

before which he offers regular prayers and also carries out daily

rituals like those offered to a Hindu deity.

He went to the extent of having Vasundhara's photograph done up to

resemble that of goddess Durga, with the chief minister sitting on a

tiger and her eight hands carrying different weapons. She is shown

wearing traditional attire and is decorated with heavy gold

jewellery.

The picture bears the words: "Maa teri surat se alag bhagwan ki

surat kya hogi" (Mother your face cannot be different from god).

Singhvi says in defence: "Yes, we worship Raje and offer prayers.

Prayers are offered everyday by one of the party men. I attend the

prayer whenever I get time. I think there is no harm in worshipping

Raje as she is a woman and women are worshipped in the Hindu

religion. So what is the problem?"

Singhvi's subordinates and the ruling Bharatiya Janata party men

even chant "Vasundhara Chalisa" everyday at the time of prayers.

"Vasundhara Chalisa" was prepared by a party worker. After offering

prayers, Singhvi or his subordinates distribute "prasad" to the

people present at his residence.

SOURCE: IANS/IndiaeNews.com

For more on Vasundhara Raje and India's other top women politicians

today, see:

"Indian women politicians on rise," by Jyotsna Singh, BBC

correspondent in Delhi: "Women in India may still make up a small

proportion of election candidates but after last week's state polls,

there are now no fewer than five female chief ministers. ..."

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