Story of Gujarat’s ‘katha’ politics: Congress deplores BJP’s ‘surrogate campaign’

The series of events began with former state minister for food, civil supplies and consumer affairs Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, the MLA from Jamnagar (North) popularly known as Hakubha, organising a Shreemad Bhagavata Katha Mahotsav in Jamnagar from May 1. The Shree Bhagyalakshmi Education and Charitable Trust, which Jadeja heads, organised the week-long religious gala, called “katha (story)”, and had Ramesh Oza, the head of the Sandipani Ashram in Porbandar, as the “purani”. A purani reads the Puranas at “katha” events. Oza is a popular exponent of the Shreemad Bhagavata Purana.

The Jamnagar event had a grand opening with a “pothiyatra” — the tradition of organising a procession with the religious book — and was attended, among others, by former ministers Bhupendra Chudasama, Ranchhod Faldu, and Jayesh Radadiya; BJP leader Alpesh Thakor; and Patidar leaders Naresh Patel and Jayrma Vansaliya. There has been much speculation about Naresh Patel’s political future, with the Congress trying to get the influential Leuva Patidar leader and Rajkot-based industrialist to join the party.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, his ministerial colleagues Raghavji Patel and Arvind Raiyani, former CM Shankersinh Vaghela, former deputy CM and BJP leader Nitin Patel, state BJP president CR Paatil, former Gujarat Congress president Arjun Modhwadia, and several BJP MLAs and MPs also attended the event. Every evening, popular folk singers such as Kirtidan Gadhvi, Kinjal Dave, and Alpa Patel performed for the crowds.

“I had originally planned to organise this ‘katha’ in 2020 but had to postpone due to Covid-19. It had nothing to do with politics. It was purely a religious event and a vehicle for me to do some religious work,” Jadeja said, adding that he had organised a “katha” in his native village Bhatel in Jamnagar in 2007 and in Haridwar three years later.

Asked about the presence of the who’s who of politics at the event, Jadeja replied, “Am I not a politician? Am I supposed to have no relations with anyone?”

Jayesh Radadiya, who was the minister of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs till last September and is the sitting MLA from Jetpur in Rajkot, followed Jadeja’s example by organising a similar “katha” under the banner of the Kalpeshkumar Vitthalbhai Radadiya Gauvansh Panjrapol and Gaushala in his hometown, Jam Kandorna, in Rajkot district from May 24 to May 29.

The event was organised with the objective of collecting funds for the KVRGPG, an organisation named after Jayesh’s late young brother Kalpesh that works for cow conservation. CR Paatil, Raghavji Patel, Raiyani, Keshod MLA Devabhai Malam as well as Porbandar MP Ramesh Dhaduk, Jamnagar MP Poonam Maadam, and Rajkot MP Mohan Kundariya were among those who attended the religious gathering. Kirtidan Gadhvi also performed at Radadiya’s event.

“I myself am a politician and therefore, it is natural that politicians will attend an event organised by me in Jam Kandorna. That said, the event was above party politics and more about religion. That was the reason Congress MLAs Lalit Vasoya and Pratap Dudhat also came to listen to the ‘katha’,” said Radadiya, adding that this was the third time he had organised a “katha”. The last one was four years ago. “I do it to collect funds for the gaushala and this year donors donated Rs 1.6 crore for cows,” he added.

At the same time Radadiya hosted his event, Dhaduk co-hosted a Bhagwat Saptah in Rajkot’s Upleta town in collaboration with Dasijivan Satsang Mandal, a local religious group. He got Jignesh Dada, another popular “kathakar” known for his rendition of the Bhagavata Purana, as the “purani”.

The first-time MP claimed he had been organising “kathas” for 12 years. “I organise one or two ‘kathas’ every year in different parts of the state as part of my commitment to religion. The people of Upleta had been demanding that a ‘katha’ be organised now that Covid-19 has gone. In the wake of the pandemic, the religious event was necessary,” said Dhaduk, adding, “It was purely a religious event with no hidden political agenda. Even Congress MLA Vasoya and local Congress leaders attended the event.”

Dismissing the BJP leaders’ statements, Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said, “While they may claim that these are apolitical, religious events only, to what an extent can these events remain non-political when organisers are politicians and political functionaries are invited as guests? These religious events are one type of surrogate campaign, a well-planned public outreach campaign steeped in religion. The BJP leaders can’t go among the public as the state government has failed to address the core issues of the people. It has not been able to do justice to farmers, it has failed to provide education to the youth at affordable rates. It has also not been able to provide healthcare to people. Therefore, BJP leaders are taking the shelter of religion.”