AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj plans to organise ‘Sunderkand’ once a month

NEW DELHI: Saurabh Bharadwaj, Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Greater Kailash, on Tuesday announced his decision to organise the recitation of “Sunderkand” on the first Tuesday of every month in areas of his constituency to seek the blessings of Lord Hanuman. The move prompted a sharp reaction from BJP.
Sunderkand is a chapter in Ramcharitmanas written by Tulsidas. It talks about Hanuman’s visit to Lanka. The first event was organised on Tuesday in Chirag Dilli. Bharadwaj participated in the programme and shared a video on Twitter. He said advance bookings had been made for the scheduled programmes and sponsors had also been found.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor claimed that the “sudden attachment” of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP functionaries with Hanuman wasn’t a matter of faith, but just melodrama. Kapoor, however, added that he welcomed the move, as “those who were earlier seen at mosques and mazars are now going to temples, even though for political benefits”.
Bharadwaj responded by tweeting that while BJP might be fuming, people were happy to be a part of the programme. “It is so positive,” he stated.
During his election campaign, AAP chief convenor Arvind Kejriwal had told a TV channel that he was a staunch Hanuman bhakt and a firm believer in him since childhood. He had even recited a few lines from Hanuman Chalisa. Kejriwal’s visits to Hanuman Temple were criticised by many in BJP.