Bhopal: BJP protests against Sharad Yadav's Kanwariya remark, asks hims to apologise

Bhopal: BJP workers and MLA Rameshwar Sharma protest against Sharad Yadav, over his 'Kanwar Yatra' remark pic.twitter.com/9LBUKgUT95

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"He has become politically bankrupt and lost his mental balance. He said the kanwariyas don't have anything to eat and that is why they have gone out. I want to ask him if his ancestors had gone on a pilgrimage because they were starving. Those who go to Haj are they unemployed? Are the kanwariyas, who go to Hardiwar, Kolkata, Badrinath are all unemployed?" BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma told the media in Bhopal.

Sharma said Yadav is insulting the kanwariyas and demanded an apology from him for making such a statement.

"He will be given a befitting reply. The nation won't tolerate the insult of the kanwariyas," he added.

Yadav yesterday said that the Kanwar Yatra is performed by those who are unemployed.

"A huge number of kanwarias on the road show the scale of unemployment in the country. Had there been employment, the number of kanwariyas would have been less on the roads," Yadav said.

Kanwarias carry metal canisters filled with holy water from the Ganges River and offer to Lord Shiva at temples in the holy Shravan month. Thousands of pilgrims participate in the Kawar yatra and travel barefoot to bring back holy water from the river basins in Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri as a offering to Shiva in temples.

With inputs from ANI