BJP doesn't believe in idolising

Jaipur, May 26 (UNI) Disapproving Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's portrayal as Goddess Annapurna in a poster, BJP national vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said his party does not believe in idolising individuals.

Mr Naqvi, while addressing a press conference, here today, steered clear of a controversy by saying that the depiction of Ms Raje as goddess Annapurna and a complaint against the publisher of the poster by BJP leader Jaswant Singh's wife Sheetal Kanwar has to be viewed as individual decisions and the party has nothing to do with it.

When asked whether the party would initiate disciplinary action against the leaders behind the publication of the poster, he evaded a direct reply saying that the party did not approve of such actions.

Former External affairs minister Jaswant Singh's wife Sheetal Kanwar has filed a case against the poster maker and others for depicting Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje as Goddess Annapurna, saying it has hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.

She has lodged an FIR against poster maker Jodhpur's Pandit Hemant Bohra, Jodhpur MLA Suryakant Vyas who unveiled the poster and other BJP leaders present at the function and have charged them under Sections 295, 298 and 120-B of IPC.

The case is being probed by additional superintendent of police (city) Sawai Singh Godara.

The said poster titled 'Jai Annapurna Maharani Vasundhara' was released on April 15 on the occasion of completion of three years of the BJP government in Rajasthan.

The poster also depicts senior leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani and Rajnath Singh as 'Vishnu', 'Brahma' and 'Mahesh' respectively. It also shows state minister Laxmi Narayan Dave as 'Kuber' and Pratap Singh Singhvi as 'Indra'.

UNI