'Those with slave mentality keep attacking our faith': PM Modi's big attack on opposition over Maha Kumbh criticism

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday tore into the opposition parties over recent political remarks on Maha Kumbh, saying those with a "

slave mentality

keep attacking the

Hindu faith

".
Criticising the comments on the ongoing Maha Kumbh being held in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, PM Modi said a section of leaders "mock and ridicule" the Hindu religion and try "weaken the country" with foreign backing.

He said that everyone is "naturally awestruck" by the grand event, which "will continue to inspire future generations as a symbol of unity".
"Nowadays we see that there is a group of leaders who mock religion, ridicule it, are engaged in dividing people and many times foreign powers also try to weaken the country and religion by supporting these people. People who hate the Hindu faith have been living in some phase or the other for centuries. People who have fallen into the mentality of slavery keep attacking our faith, beliefs and temples, our religion, culture and principles," PM Modi said during the foundation stone laying ceremony of Bageshwar Dham Medical & Science Research Institute in Madhya Pradesh.

The Prime Minister lased out at the leaders for "abusing" Hindu festivals, traditions and customs, saying: "They dare to attack the religion and culture which is progressive by nature. Dividing our society and breaking its unity is their agenda. In this time, Dhirendra Shastri has been making people aware of the mantra of unity in the country for a long time. Now, he has reached another resolution in the interest of society and humanity. This is the plan to build this cancer institute. That means now, here in Bageshwar Dham, you will get the blessings of bhajan, food and healthy life."
"The Maha Kumbh 2025 is being discussed widely. It is now reaching its culmination as millions of people have already arrived there, taken the holy dip at the Triveni, and sought blessings. Everyone is naturally awestruck by this grand event. This Maha Kumbh will continue to inspire future generations as a symbol of unity," PM Modi said.
PM Modi's remark comes days after West Bengal chief CM Mamata Banerjee took a dig at Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath over Maha Kumbh, saying the spiritual gathering in Prayagraj has turned into "Mrityu Kumbh".
The West Bengal CM also claimed there was a disparity in the arrangements made for attendees in the Maha Kumbh and that the administration lacked proper planning.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also came out in support of Mamata Banerjee’s "Mrityu Kumbh" statement, raising concerns over what he described the Uttar Pradesh government's "inadequate preparations" for the grand spiritual event in Prayagraj.
Before Mamata, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also hit out at Union home minister Amit Shah over his Maha Kumbh visit, saying Shah's "dip in Ganga won't remove poverty".
Launching a massive broadside against the BJP, the Congress chief said the leaders of the saffron party were "competing with each other to take the dip in the Ganga river for the sake of cameras".
Kharge, however, clarified that he did not wish to hurt anyone's "aastha" (faith).