A 30-foot-tall cockroach effigy was reportedly set ablaze alongside traditional figures of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnath during Dussehra festivities in northwest Delhi on Tuesday.
The leader urged people to view the initiative in the context of its public health message.
burnt during the Dussehra celebrations organised by the Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee, gained massive attention, it also faced backlash from the Aam Aadmi Party While the cockroach effigy. The chief guests of the event included BJP Rajya Sabha MP Arun Singh, Delhi Cabinet minister Kapil Mishra and Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Delhi unit president Kapil Khanna. Singh emphasised that Dussehra was an occasion to reaffirm the values of truth, duty and righteousness. Mishra highlighted the importance of incorporating the lessons of festivals. The incident drew a sharp backlash from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, who submitted a complaint to Lieutenant Governor (LG) Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar.
Ashok Goel Devraha, BJP’s Model Town MLA and the committee president, said that burning the 30-foot cockroach effigy was intended to raise awareness about filth and the health problems associated with the insect.
AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj filed a complaint with Delhi Police and Lieutenant Governor (LG) Taranjit Singh Sandhu alleging that the effigy “hurt religious sentiments”. Khanna said cultural events such as Ramlila and Dussehra helped strengthen social unity and preserve India’s traditions, the report further said, according to the organisers. BJP’s Model Town MLA and the committee president, Ashok Goel Devraha, said the cockroach effigy represented a social problem. “Have requested @CPDelhi and @LtGovDelhi saab to register FIR against BJP MLA and @KapilMishra_IND for hurting religious sentiments of Hindus by alerting the Sanatan Customs for political gains and promoting enmity hatered between communities and groups,” Bharadwaj said.
