Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi criticises Badrinath cultural festival and party policies

Senior BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi has publicly criticised his own party over a recent music festival near the Badrinath Temple. The 92-year-old leader, who was moved to the guidance committee in 2014, questioned why officials allowed a concert at the Himalayan shrine during the Devbhoomi Cultural Festival held on September 19 and 20.

Shrine Sanctity

Joshi stated that the site was originally set up by Adi Guru Shankaracharya for peaceful prayer and that even blowing a conch shell is normally restricted there. He argued that loud music events break cultural traditions and ignore the spiritual and environmental importance of the area. He also pointed out that large crowds dancing at such a high altitude could negatively affect people's health.

Past Criticisms

This marks the second recent instance where Joshi has opposed the ruling party's actions. In July, he condemned police force used against students at Jantar Mantar who were protesting NEET paper leaks. He called the students' concerns genuine and criticised the mishandling of young protesters. Later, following the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Joshi blamed the government for pushing education aside in favour of road transport and private industries.

Background

Joshi served as the union education minister between 1998 and 2004 under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and has a long history of voicing independent views within his political career. The veteran leader also faced friction with party leadership ahead of the 2014 national elections when he shifted from Varanasi to Kanpur.

Context

Senior political figures often use public platforms to voice their concerns on cultural and policy matters when they disagree with current administrative decisions. Such internal disagreements highlight the diverse viewpoints that exist within major political organisations in the country.