BJP CMS PERFORMED SHASTRA PUJA, NSG JAWANS REMAINED UNARMED

Two BJP chief ministers Narendra Modi of Gujarat and Shivraj Singh Chauhan of Madhya Pradesh worshiped AK-47 and other firearms violating prohibitory orders on the last day of Dussehra. The occasion was a shastra puja (worship of arms) at the official homes of the accused chief ministers. Even some BJP leaders wonder how the two chief ministers, who do not belong to any martial caste, appropriated a practice that was historically the preserve of the Rajputs. It is an irony that the arms used to worship in the ceremony belonged to their security guards and India’s elite anti-terror force, the National Security Guard (NSG) who are the government employees committed to a secular state and not the communal politicians. The NSG commandos offered their sophisticated weapons for the ritual when the Modi performed shashtra puja at his residence. A Congress leader questioned the legality of asking these guards, who protect chief ministers in the high-risk category, to disarm themselves for the duration of the puja and risk endangering their lives as well as those of the leaders. NSG has however taken a serious view of its commandos involved in the episode to let Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi perform shashtra puja and remain unarmed for almost two hours. “The NSG will conduct an internal inquiry to ascertain under what circumstances the commandos presented their weapons for a ritual and remained unarmed, flouting the strict guidelines that they must always hold their weapons when on duty,” said a government official.