Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy sparked a sharp political debate after declaring that Lord Shiva is the God of the poor, while Lord Ram is the God of the rich. Speaking at an event in New Delhi, the Congress leader contrasted political dynamics in North and South India, claiming that South Indians are Dravidians and devotees of Shiva, whereas North Indians are Aryans who worship Lord Ram.

Revanth Reddy alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party achieved electoral success in Northern states because it stole Lord Ram as an emotional political tool. He questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders focus primarily on the slogan Jai Shri Ram rather than chanting Har Har Mahadev on public platforms, arguing that the ruling party favors the wealthy while neglecting other cultural traditions.

How Did BJP Respond To Revanth Reddy’s Statements?

The BJP launched a fiery counterattack, with national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari and Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar accusing Revanth Reddy of engineering vote bank politics on instructions from Congress leadership. BJP leaders pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi regularly chants both Jai Shri Ram and Har Har Mahadev, highlighting that Lord Ram worshipped Lord Shiva in the Ramayana before the battle in Lanka.

Beyond religious commentary, Revanth Reddy raised concerns regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and proposed Lok Sabha delimitation exercises, alleging these initiatives aim to delete voters and unfairly favor the ruling party. BJP leaders rejected these claims, stating that Congress continues to create regional and religious divisions across the nation.