The Asian Age

BJP plans ‘ mega yagya’ at Red Fort

Aims to ward off conspiring forces, secure party’s win in electoral battles

- AGE CORRESPOND­ENT

In a bid to ward off “shadyantra­kari shaktiyaan ( conspiring forces)” that are trying to harm the nation’s interests and possibly to seek “divine interventi­on” for his party for the forthcomin­g electoral battles in key states, BJP MP Maheish Girri, along with Shri Yogini Peetham, is all set to organise an eight- daylong “Rashtra Raksha Mahayagya” from March 18.

The event, at the Red Fort Maidan, will have 108 yagna kunds, prepared from the soil and water from India’s line of control areas, including Wagah, Poonch, Doklam, and also “char dhams( four holy sites of Hindus)” and will have 1,111 brahmins chanting 2.25 crore vedic mantras “energising the entire nation with positive aura.”

Invitation­s for this “dharmic ( religious)” event, where “worship of the Vedas and the nation will be done in the same breath”, will also be sent to President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, vice- president M. Venkaiah Naidu and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Though Mr Girri claimed that the event is being organised with the “seva aur sahyog ( service and cooperatio­n)” of many people, speculatio­n is rife that East Delhi MPs party is also indirectly involved in the event.

“There are external and internal forces who are attempting to harm the country’s interests. We are organising the yagya ( ceremonial fire) following our ancient traditions to thwart such attempts and to take a pledge to create a ‘ New India’,” said Mr Girri, adding that the main deity that will be invoked, among others, is considered as a “slayer of evil forces” in the Indian mythology.

For the yagya, a rath yatra will be flagged off to collect a spoonful of ghee ( clarified butter) from each and every household across the country. The venue or the temporary vedic village, which is being designed by art director Nitin Desai, will have statues of Gods and Goddesses along with ‘ Bharat Mata’ and also scenes depicting events in the mythology from various states.

Mr Girri said that the Mahayagya will be a “sanskritic mahotsav” celebratin­g Indian culture. The event will also see participan­ts taking vows against casteism, communalis­m, corruption among others. The East Delhi MP, who is also a national secretary in BJP president Amit Shah’s team, said the event is also aimed at “connecting people” with each other and the vedic village will reflect the nation’s cultural heritage where cultural programmes from various states will be organised in the evening.

 ?? — SONDEEP SHANKAR ?? East Delhi MP Maheish Girri ( centre) stands beside a model layout of the Rashtra Raksha Mahayagya in New Delhi on Monday.
— SONDEEP SHANKAR East Delhi MP Maheish Girri ( centre) stands beside a model layout of the Rashtra Raksha Mahayagya in New Delhi on Monday.

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