The Congress has recently intensified its criticism of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh over alleged irregularities in the state’s nursing colleges. This criticism has now extended to a controversy surrounding a ‘Sunderkand’ recital at a Bhopal police station. Sunderkand, the last chapter of the Ramayana, is often recited on significant occasions.

Congress spokesperson Mukesh Nayak alleged that the ‘Sunderkand’ recital was a BJP tactic to disrupt a Congress delegation that had gone to the station to file an FIR regarding the nursing college scam. The BJP responded by accusing the Congress of being ‘anti-Hindu’.

Earlier this year, the CBI arrested 13 individuals, including four officers tasked with investigating irregularities in the state’s nursing colleges. These officers were accused of accepting bribes from college officials in exchange for exoneration.

On Thursday, the Congress organized a march to the Ashoka Garden police station in Bhopal to file a complaint against former state Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang for his alleged involvement in the scam. The party had previously raised this issue during the recently concluded Monsoon Session of the Assembly. Upon arriving at the police station, the Congress delegation was met by a BJP group.

As supporters of both parties exchanged slogans outside the station, Rajya Sabha MP and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh arrived after learning from local media about the ‘Sunderkand’ recital being held for a BJP worker. Singh criticized the event, stating, “Organizing a ‘Sunderkand’ or any such religious event is illegal on the premises of a police station. Action should be taken against them.”

On Friday, another Congress delegation, led by Singh and state Congress president Jitu Patwari, met with Bhopal Police Commissioner Harinarayanachari Mishra to lodge a complaint about the event. The Congress argued that the recital violated service rules and demanded an investigation into the officers involved.

Singh told reporters, “I was the CM for 10 years. I know the rules and regulations. It is not written anywhere that a ‘Sunderkand’ recital can be organized inside a police station. When we asked the station in-charge, he told us that the cops had organized it to celebrate the birthday of one Naresh Jhadav. We have now decided that we will celebrate the birthdays of our party workers in police stations.” According to the Congress, Jhadav is a local BJP councillor.

The station in-charge, Hemant Shrivastava, stated, “There was a pre-planned birthday event for someone in which they decided to recite the ‘Sunderkand’.”

Patwari added, “Wherever there is a BJP government, they make a mockery of democracy. They gave permission for a private event inside a police station, and there is no probe. The message is that we will not follow the service book. Either follow the service book, take administrative action against the errant police officer, or allow the Congress to organize ‘Sunderkand’ events in all police stations in Bhopal.”

The BJP later claimed that the Congress had made ‘anti-Hindu statements’. Party spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said, “Why did only Digvijaya Singh oppose the ‘Sunderkand’ event? Why does he oppose Hindus? The Congress has also organized ‘Sunderkand’ events in the past.”

In response, Congress spokesperson Mukesh Nayak said, “We don’t oppose ‘Sunderkand’ recital. We have never organized any such event inside a police station or any government office. This birthday party was organized for the local BJP councillor Naresh Jhadav. The BJP is doing everything to divert the issue. There is now even an AI-generated video of a whistleblower of the nursing college scam that’s circulating online. We will again raise these issues on Saturday.”

Another BJP spokesperson, Narendra Saluja, said, “There is a temple where a ‘Sunderkand’ event was going on. There are small dargahs and temples near police stations everywhere across the state, where all kinds of festivities take place. The Congress has shown its true colors by opposing the event.”

Nayak dismissed the BJP’s claims, saying, “The party should not try to hide its sins under the guise of religion. Sunderkand was a cover. Their objective was to disrupt the Congress delegation when it arrived at the police station. That is exactly what happened. The people reciting the ‘Sunderkand’ put aside the Ramayana and started shouting slogans. One of them even threw a shoe, which hit a constable in the face. Even after reading ‘Sunderkand’, these people have not gained the wisdom to know how to behave properly.”