BJP's Throwback Iftar Photo Starts Secularism Debate After Row Over PM Modi's Ganpati Puja Visit To CJI House

As the row over Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the Ganpati Puja celebrations at Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud’s residence intensified, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday reminded the Congress party of the time when in 2009, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invited then CJI, KG Balakrishnan, to attend an Iftaar party.

Sharing pictures of Singh in a candid laugh with Balakrishnan, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla, in an X post, wrote, “Judiciary is safe”.

“PM Modi attends Ganesh Puja at current CJI House – oh God Judiciary compromised,” Ponawalla mocked the Congress in his post.

A controversy erupted hours after a video showing Chandrachud and his wife, Kalpana Das, welcoming Modi at their house on Wednesday, was widely shared on social media.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, BJP MP, Sambit Patra, also pulled up the Congress over its attack on the Prime Minister participating in the Ganpati festivities at the CJI’s home and asked if Manmohan Singh present with KG Balakrishnan at the Iftaar party was fine.

Referring to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s recent group photo also featuring US Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, Patra said, “If the Prime Minister is meeting the CJI, you have a problem. But, if you are meeting anti-national people in the United States, then there is no problem.”

Patra also alleged the party had a problem with Ganpati celebrations.

“I think they have a problem with the Ganpati Puja. When during their tenure, Manmohan Ji organised an Iftar party, then was the CJI not invited? That is also a festival and this Ganpati is also a festival, then why this difference?” he asked.

Also hitting out at the grand-old party, BJP’s Andhra Pradesh vice-president, Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, said, “Secularism doesn’t mean organising Iftari only. Just like others, Hindus are also free to practice their own religion, and both CJI & PM are Hindus. Your hatred towards Hinduism can’t change the fact!”

Union Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav, tweeted, “Ganpati is the God of auspicious beginnings. He is a symbol of positivity. Different arms of the country coming together to mark Ganesha’s greatness is a welcome sign for a healthy democracy, and reflective of our traditions that believe in celebrating together. Those filled with negativity must in the interest of society’s well-being and religious harmony refrain from casting aspersions on occasions that are symbolic of goodness and greatness of India’s rich traditions. Do not belittle our festivals.”

In a separate X post, Yadav wrote, “The same people who applaud and encourage presence of Prime Ministers at Iftars find their guts twisting and turning when they see PM Modi perform Ganpati Poojan at CJI DY Chandrachud’s residence. The executive and judiciary praying before Gods revered by crores of devotees across India reflects the real strength of Indian secularism. Deal with it.” (sic).

The BJP’s attack came after several Opposition leaders and some lawyers of the Supreme Court reacted sharply to PM Modi attending the puja at the CJI’s residence.

“Ganpati Utsav is being celebrated and people visit each other’s house… I don’t have information whether the Prime Minister has visited anyone’s house,” Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, Sanjay Raut, said, adding, “Ganpati Utsav is being celebrated at several locations in Delhi and Maharashtra, but PM Modi chose to visit the CJI’s residence.”

In a post on X, senior lawyer, Indira Jaising, said the Chief Justice of India has compromised the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary.

“Lost all confidence in the independence of the CJI. The SCBA (Supreme Court Bar Association) must condemn this publicly displayed compromise of Independence of the CJI from the executive,” she wrote.