Is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reviving the Hindutva ideology? It crossed the minds of several people when BJP chief Amit Shah visited the famous Lal Darwaza temple to seek the blessings of Devi Mahankali on Saturday.
The sudden visit raised eyebrows of many as the temple is generally visited by prominent personalities during the Bonalu festival.
The temple was once known to be used by strong Hindutva activists like the late Ale Narendra in response to the rabble-rousing speeches from some Muslim leaders. The fiery speeches from there whipped up passions on both sides.
Mr. Shah’s attack on the AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, and linking him to the caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao at the press conference in the city and later in Mahabubnagar meeting, party sources say, was also in that direction. Though MIM’s reach is limited to the old city, a person of Mr. Shah’s stature attacking him also gave enough scope for the ‘Hindutva revival’ strategy.
A senior BJP leader however said nothing much should be read into Mr. Shah’s visit to the temple.
He had gone there to seek the blessings of Devi Mahankali as he was kicking off the election campaign in Telangana with the Mahabubnagar meeting.
Mr. Amit Shah earlier offered silk clothes to the goddess.