Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's decision to conduct shastra puja (worshipping of weapons) on the first Rafale fighter jet received from France had unleashed a torrent of memes and criticism on social media, apart from pushback from opposition parties like the NCP and the Congress. But, Singh's decision has found support—albeit backhanded—from the unlikeliest of circles. Pakistan Army spokesperson Asif Ghafoor tweeted: "Nothing wrong in #RafalePuja as it goes by the religion and that must be respected. Please remember....it’s not the machine alone which matters but competence, passion & resolve of the men handling that machine. Proud of our PAF Shaheens".
While Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday took issue with Singh's decision to conduct the performing a shastra puja, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar took a jibe at the defence minister on Thursday. Addressing a press conference in Yavatmal in Maharashtra, Pawar drew a parallel between the shastra puja and truck drivers placing lemons and chilli on their new vehicles to deter the 'evil eye'.
Pawar was quoted by news agency ANI as saying: "I don't know whether it is true, but what can one say when lemon and chilli are hung on Rafale aircraft with the idea of protecting it from curse like it's hung on a newly purchased truck."
After Kharge questioned the need to conduct a Shastra Puja for the induction of the Rafale, the BJP slammed the Congress. In a rally in Haryana on Wednesday, BJP chief and Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared, “We worship weapons on Vijaydashmi to take a pledge to end evil, and same was done in case of Rafale, but for the Congress it is tamasha.” The BJP also brought up the Bofors scandal, tweeting, "For a party used to worshipping Quattrocchi, shastra puja naturally a problem.”
-Inputs from PTI