Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar accused Devendra Fadnavis of promoting polarising discourse, questioning why the public should be tasked with “saving religion” while the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister’s wife creates Instagram reels.
Speaking at a rally in Nagpur on Wednesday ahead of the Maharashtra election, Kanhaiya called on people to hold politicians accountable when they become arrogant.
His comment was widely interpreted as a swipe at Fadnavis, who is running from the Nagpur Southwest constituency, where he is facing Congress’s Prafulla Gudadhe in the election.
Without directly naming her, Kanhaiya Kumar targeted Amruta Fadnavis, the wife of the senior BJP leader.
Amruta is a trained classical singer and banker who is known for her active presence on social media.
Kanhaiya Kumar criticized the idea of a “dharma yudh” (religious war), urging the public to question any leader who claims to be defending religion. “If this really is a fight for religion, ask those leaders if their children will join the battle. How can the public be expected to save religion while the leader’s children study abroad? How can the people bear the responsibility, while the Deputy Chief Minister’s wife is busy making Instagram reels?” Kanhaiya said.
In response, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slammed Kanhaiya Kumar’s remarks about Devendra Fadnavis’s wife, calling them an insult to all Marathi women. He also accused Kanhaiya of supporting Afzal Guru, the convicted terrorist responsible for the 2001 Parliament attack. This reference was to Kanhaiya’s 2016 arrest for alleged sedition following a controversial event at JNU marking the death anniversary of Afzal Guru.
Kanhaiya’s comments came shortly after Fadnavis blamed “Vote Jihad” for the poor performance of the ruling alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, claimed that the consolidation of Muslim votes had played a major role in the success of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in at least 14 of Maharashtra’s 48 Lok Sabha seats. “The consolidation of Muslim votes led to the defeat of Mahayuti in these constituencies,” he said.
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