Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) mocked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following a notably low turnout at Union Minister Smriti Irani's event in Pune on Sunday.
Irani's visit was aimed at inaugurating the 'Do Dhage Sri Ram Ke Liye' campaign, a joint initiative by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra and the Heritage Handweaving Revival Charitable Trust.
This 13-day campaign involves nearly 10 lakh people weaving vastras (clothes) for Ayodhya's Ram Lalla, predominantly crafted from silk and adorned with silver zari.
Anand Chaini
The event took place at a handloom store near Goodluck Chowk in Shivajinagar, with plans for Irani to proceed to the Modern College Ground for her scheduled speech. However, due to the sparse turnout, Irani chose not to address the gathering and departed for Mumbai.
Shiv Sena (UBT) and AAP took aim at the BJP for the apparent lack of attendance at Irani's speech. "Empty chairs at the public meeting of BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani in Pune. And yet, BJP claims about winning Maharashtra," Shiv Sena (UBT) tweeted. AAP Maharashtra Spokesperson Mukund Kirdat sarcastically remarked, "Huge public response to #SmritIirani ji in Pune today." "Unfortunately, she had to immediately leave due to some urgent meeting :) ha ha... This is the BJP's state in the city," he added.
Know more about "Do Dhage Sri Ram Ke Liye" campaign:
Anagha Ghaisas, the organiser of the campaign, expressed enthusiasm about engaging the community in this endeavour for Ram Lalla.
"Approximately 10 lakh people have registered to participate over the next 13 days, weaving "do dhage" (two threads)," she said.
Ghaisas emphasised the campaign's dual purpose of involving citizens in this holy work while promoting the art of handloom, stating that handloom requires skills akin to engineering.
"Our intention is also to promote handloom for which I have been working for a long time. Handloom isn't easy it requires mathematical precision, patience, and science so it is no less than any engineering," Ghaisas added.
She further said they have put an expert on every handloom installed to guide whoever wants to weave.
