Nana Patole's Feet Washed By Supporters During Guru Pournima Ritual In Viral Video; Leader Reacts After BJP Hits With 'Congress Culture' Jibe

Mumbai: A video showing senior Congress leader Nana Patole having his feet washed by two men during a Guru Pournima ritual has triggered a political controversy in Maharashtra, with the BJP criticising the act as a reflection of 'Congress culture.' Patole, however, defended the incident, saying the men were younger members of his extended 'family' who performed the ritual out of respect.

The viral video shows Patole seated on a sofa while two men wash his feet, shower flower petals on them and place fruits nearby as part of the ceremony. The footage quickly spread across social media, drawing sharp reactions from political leaders and netizens.

Bawankule Calls It 'Congress Culture'

Reacting to the video, Maharashtra Revenue Minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule took a swipe at the Congress, claiming the incident reflected the party's culture.

"It is the culture of Congress leaders to indulge in such activities. They should have learnt lessons from such incidents. Why indulge in such practices where you will only earn criticism and negative publicity and nothing else?" Bawankule said.

Patole Hits Back To BJP's Jibe

Patole dismissed the criticism, insisting he neither instructed nor encouraged anyone to perform the ritual. "That day was Guru Pournima. Two younger members of my family were present. They insisted that they consider me their Guru and wanted to do this as a mark of respect. I did not ask anyone to do it," Patole said while responding to the controversy.

Nana Patole Brings In Ram Temple Donation Theft Issue

The Congress leader also hit back at the BJP, accusing it of hypocrisy over its criticism. "Those who loot donation funds have no right to lecture us on culture and traditions," Patole remarked, in an apparent reference to the ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple.

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