Now Reading: BJP slams Kharge for calling Diwali ‘Eid of joy’
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BJP slams Kharge for calling Diwali ‘Eid of joy’
The Story in Brief
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described Diwali as an 'Eid of joy' on Sunday, 8 November, triggering sharp reactions from the BJP and AIMIM. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused the Congress of appeasement politics, calling it 'anti-Sanatan' on X. Bhandari also linked Kharge's remark to Sonia Gandhi's recent comments on the Babri Masjid demolition.
AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan criticised the statement as a political stunt for electoral gains. Congress leaders defended the remark, saying Kharge intended to highlight communal harmony and the shared spirit of celebration across communities. The exchange has brought competing political interpretations of the festive greeting into focus.
Indian Opinion Analysis
All three outlets report the same sequence: Kharge's greeting, BJP's accusation of appeasement, and AIMIM's criticism. India Today and Deccan Herald also link the row to Sonia Gandhi's Babri Masjid remarks, while Yes Punjab quotes Hemang Joshi's 'Mir Jafar' taunt at Rahul Gandhi. The coverage is uniform wire-style reporting, no outlet frames Kharge's remark as a genuine call for unity or defends it editorially. The story itself is a political exchange, with no next step named beyond the competing statements.
Coverage: 3 sources, 3 neutral
Sources (3): yespunjab.com (neutral report), indiatoday.in (neutral report), deccanherald.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
Update, 8 November 2026: this story now draws on 3 sources.
Update, 9 November 2026: further reports on this story from deccanchronicle.com, orissapost.com.
Update, 9 November 2026: further reports on this story from deccanherald.com, hindustantimes.com, timesnownews.com.
