Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has triggered a political row after remarks linking religious devotion with social and regional identities. Speaking at a media organisation’s conference in New Delhi, he made comments contrasting Shiva and Rama worship.
During the interaction, Reddy was asked why the Congress is seen as influential in South India but not in parts of the North and East. In response, he said “we are Dravidians” and “Shiva devotees”, while describing people in the North as “Aryans” and “Rama devotees”.
He further alleged that the BJP had “taken over” Rama and called it an emotional issue. Questioning the party’s slogans, he asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders do not say “Har Har Mahadev” on stage and instead repeatedly use “Jai Shri Ram”.
Reddy also claimed that when “Dravidians” say “Har Har Mahadev”, it is not liked by the BJP, adding that Shiva is the god of the poor while Rama is the god of the rich.
The BJP condemned the remarks. Union Minister of State Sanjay Kumar Bandi, in a post on X, said Reddy—who had earlier made comments linking Congress with Muslims—was now speaking about political boundaries between deities such as Rama and Shiva.
