BJP member C P Joshi on Tuesday compared President Droupadi Murmu with 'Shabari' and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Lord Ram, invoking incidents from the Hindu epic Ramayana.
Initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks on President’s Address, Joshi, the Lok Sabha member from Chittorgarh, said 'Shabari' was eagerly waiting to welcome Lord Ram in 'Treta Yug' (world age).
Shabari is a character from Ramayana who was an ardent devotee of Lord Ram.
"During this joint session when the honourable president was entering Parliament, it felt like Lord Ram was welcoming Maata Shabari at the doorsteps of Parliament to honour her," Joshi said.
BJP members raised "Jai Shri Ram" slogans when Joshi made a reference to the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Joshi also accused the Congress of creating hurdles in the construction of Ram Temple, and by telling the Supreme Court that Lord Ram was 'imaginary'.
He said the opposition party often ridiculed the BJP for holding out assurances on building the temple, but not spelling out the date when it would be completed.
"Today, the biggest cultural and spiritual centre is taking shape in Ayodhya," Joshi said.
The BJP member also took a dig at Rahul Gandhi’s 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', saying people had maintained a distance from the foot march in Rajasthan.
"Somebody was holding someone’s hand, somebody was hugging someone. I wish to say when some rituals do not take place at the right time, such things happen. There is an appropriate time for conception, there is a time for tonsuring ceremony, naming ceremony. When a marriage ceremony does not take place at an appropriate age, such things come to the fore," Joshi said.
