Jyotiraditya Scindia ‘gets rid of’ coconut, stirs row

Bhopal: In a bizarre development, a coconut smeared with vermilion has erupted political row in Madhya Pradesh.

The ruling BJP here on Sunday slammed senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, believed to be frontrunner in the race for the post of chief minister if his party returned to power in Madhya Pradesh in the year-end elections, for allegedly throwing away a coconut presented to him by his party workers in Panna recently.

“Mr Scindia’s actions amounted to undermining of Hindu culture. As per Hindu traditions and culture, people offer ‘Sriphal’ or coconut to the dignitaries and elderly persons wishing their well-being.

By throwing away the coconut, presented to him by Congress workers, Mr Scindia has not only belittled his party men but also showed disrespect to Hindu culture and traditions,” state cooperation minister Viswas Sarang said here.

A video showing Mr Scindia being presented with a coconut smeared with vermilion in Panna by some Congress workers when he was on way from Khajurhao to Rewa in Madhya Pradesh in his car a couple of days ago and then throwing it away, has gone viral in social media triggering a political row.

The BJP apparently has found an opportunity to play the Hindu card against the Congress by taking Mr Scindia to task for “disregarding Hindu culture”.

Congress spokesman here Manak Agrawal, however, defended Mr Scindia saying that the latter was told by some of his aides accompanying him in his vehicle that the coconut presented to him might be anointed one and should be gotten rid of immediately. Hence, Mr Scindia threw it away, Mr Agrawal added.

“It is shocking that Congress leaders believed in black magic, which amounted to promoting superstition,” the BJP spokesman here said.