BJP veteran worker, Pawan Shah, who was seen on a video washing a BJP lawmaker’s feet and then drinking the dirty water, questioned his trolls “what crime did I commit?” threatening to file cases against all those slamming him for the act.
“This should not be politicized, what crime did I commit if I washed his feet and drank the water? It was my sentiment. He is like my elder brother,” Shah, told the news agency ANI.
On Sunday, Nishikant Dubey, a BJP MP from Godda was at a party rally on Sunday to deliver a speech to the community he represents at the Lower House of the Parliament. But just as Mr Dubey finished his speech, Shah brought a Thali and a Lota that contained water and sat near Dubey’s feet. WATCH VIDEO HERE
Shah, claimed by the MP to be a veteran party worker, then started washing Mr Dubey’s feet and then wiped it with a cloth before drinking the water on the plate.
The video posted by Dubey himself on social media went viral in no time, earning the lawmaker a lot of flak. But Mr Dubey defended himself saying that those criticising him are not aware that this is a common ritual in Jharkhand.
“It is a common custom to honour guests in Jharkhand, Mr Dubey was reported to have said by NDTV. He further cited the example of Lord Krishna doing the same for Sudama in Mahabharata.
“Someday I will get the opportunity of washing Pawan’s feet,” wrote the 49-year-old in his post, that it for supporters like Shah that he’s in public life today.
Such claims, however, could not spare Dubey, who was slammed from every opposition party including the Congress and Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The latter saying, reports the news website, that the “arrogance of BJP leaders has reached the zenith.”
“Instead of apologizing, the BJP leader who is a favourite of PM Modi is justifying washing his feet and drinking that water by the karyakartas. For him to compare himself to Lord Krishna reflects that BJP now believes that they have achieved a God-like status. Is this the sanskaar and the sanskriti of BJP that Modi ji and Amit Shah talk about?”
“Nishikant Dubey’s incident shows that BJP as a party believes in caste supremacy of certain people. It is one of the shameful things this party practices even today,” added BSP leader Sudhindra Bhadoria.