After two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers, now actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha of the party has also come out against the Bihar government’s proposal for an online facility for Hindus to offer ‘pinda daan’ ritual, terming it a “short cut method” minus any “feeling”.
“It is neither proper nor practical to go for an online facility to offer pinda daan. I am against online pinda daan,” Sinha said of the ritual performed by Hindus for the dead.
Sinha performed the ritual Sunday for his parents and ancestors at the Vishnupad Temple in Gaya.
“The proposed online pinda daan is a shortcut method to perform the rituals without any real touch and feeling. But physical presence to perform the rite gives peace of mind. I favour that people should visit Gaya and in person perform the pinda daan,” Sinha said.
The actor said the ritual for his parents was overdue for a long time because he had been busy despite regularly visiting Patna, his native town, but he was able to perform the pinda daan personally at last. “It was an amazing experience, I fulfilled my duty,” he said.
Sinha’s view has been welcomed by Hindu priests who are against the proposed online facility.
In June, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi had announced the government’s decision to introduce a video-conferencing facility for Indians abroad to perform pinda daan.
However, priests in the holy town of Gaya who have been conducting the ritual described the government’s decision as “interference” and an “attack on an age-old religious service”.
The priests won support from a section of the BJP, with ministers Ashwani Kumar Choubey and Prem Kumar asking the government to reverse its decision.
Last month, the Bihar government decided to postpone its plan for an online facility.
Thousands of Hindus from across India and abroad gather in Gaya to offer pinda daan during the fortnight-long Pitrapaksh period that began last week. Legend has it that Lord Rama and his wife Sita performed this religious rite for his father, King Dasharath in Gaya.
Showing posts with label Bharatiya Janata Party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bharatiya Janata Party. Show all posts
Monday 7 September 2009
Thursday 28 May 2009
Lone representation in Team Manmohan disappoints Bihar
With no leader from Bihar making it to the Team Manmohan Thursday, many in the state, where the Congress won only two Lok Sabha seats, expressed disappointment over the decreasing number of Bihar ministers in the union cabinet - from 12 in 2004 to just one in 2009.
Meira Kumar is the lone face from Bihar in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s cabinet. She was sworn in May 22 when 19 ministers took oath in the first instalment of government formation.
Fifty-nine ministers were sworn in at Thursday’s oath ceremony but there was none from Bihar.
“It was shocking for us that Bihar found no place when 59 ministers took oath. It is first time in my memory,” said Amit Kumar, 20, a college student.
There were 13 ministers from Bihar in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in 1999. Ten ministers from the state were in the Deve Gowda-led government in 1996 and the same was the case in I.K. Gujral’s government.
“Nearly after two decades, representation of Bihar in the central ministry is very poor. It is a matter of concern,” said businessman Rajesh Kumar Singh, 50.
Marketing professional Jai Prakash Yadav, 40, feared that the “wrong” decision to have only one minister from Bihar will “effect (the) centre-state relationship”.
Many in the state were expecting that at least three newly elected MPs from the state will find a place in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
People were hoping that Congress MP from Kishanganj Maulana Asrarul Haque and two independent MPs Digvijay Singh and Om Prakash Yadav would be sworn in.
Haque, a Muslim cleric, is a first time MP from Muslim-dominated Kishanganj constituency. He defeated former central minister Mohammed Taslimuddin of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
“If the BJP can have Syed Shahnawaz Hussain as a minister after he won from Kishanganj in 1999, why the Congress cannot have Haque,” said Shamsher Ali, a Congress worker in the constituency.
The Congress won only two Lok Sabha seats from Bihar - Kishanganj and Sasaram. The party contested the elections alone after the seat sharing arrangement with Lalu Prasad’s RJD failed.
Meira Kumar is the lone face from Bihar in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s cabinet. She was sworn in May 22 when 19 ministers took oath in the first instalment of government formation.
Fifty-nine ministers were sworn in at Thursday’s oath ceremony but there was none from Bihar.
“It was shocking for us that Bihar found no place when 59 ministers took oath. It is first time in my memory,” said Amit Kumar, 20, a college student.
There were 13 ministers from Bihar in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in 1999. Ten ministers from the state were in the Deve Gowda-led government in 1996 and the same was the case in I.K. Gujral’s government.
“Nearly after two decades, representation of Bihar in the central ministry is very poor. It is a matter of concern,” said businessman Rajesh Kumar Singh, 50.
Marketing professional Jai Prakash Yadav, 40, feared that the “wrong” decision to have only one minister from Bihar will “effect (the) centre-state relationship”.
Many in the state were expecting that at least three newly elected MPs from the state will find a place in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
People were hoping that Congress MP from Kishanganj Maulana Asrarul Haque and two independent MPs Digvijay Singh and Om Prakash Yadav would be sworn in.
Haque, a Muslim cleric, is a first time MP from Muslim-dominated Kishanganj constituency. He defeated former central minister Mohammed Taslimuddin of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
“If the BJP can have Syed Shahnawaz Hussain as a minister after he won from Kishanganj in 1999, why the Congress cannot have Haque,” said Shamsher Ali, a Congress worker in the constituency.
The Congress won only two Lok Sabha seats from Bihar - Kishanganj and Sasaram. The party contested the elections alone after the seat sharing arrangement with Lalu Prasad’s RJD failed.
Thursday 19 March 2009
Kirti Azad to contest from Darbhanga in Bihar
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Darbhanga in Bihar. The party Thursday released its list of candidates for 15 constituencies in four states.
BJP president Rajnath Singh finalised the list at a meeting here. The party announced seven candidates for Delhi, three for Gujarat, two for Jammu and Kashmir, and three for Bihar.
BJP general secretary Vijay Goel has been given a ticket from the New Delhi constituency. Goel was initially considered for the Chandni Chowk seat but he wanted to contest from the New Delhi seat.
The general elections will be held April 16-May 13 in five phases. The counting of votes across the country will take place May 16.
BJP president Rajnath Singh finalised the list at a meeting here. The party announced seven candidates for Delhi, three for Gujarat, two for Jammu and Kashmir, and three for Bihar.
BJP general secretary Vijay Goel has been given a ticket from the New Delhi constituency. Goel was initially considered for the Chandni Chowk seat but he wanted to contest from the New Delhi seat.
The general elections will be held April 16-May 13 in five phases. The counting of votes across the country will take place May 16.
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