Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s remarks comparing the political use of Lord Ram and Lord Shiva have triggered a political controversy, with the BJP criticising his comments and Congress leaders defending them. Speaking at an event in New Delhi on Monday, Reddy said the BJP had turned Lord Ram into a political symbol and questioned why the slogan “Jai Shri Ram” was used more prominently by BJP leaders than “Har Har Mahadev”. He also said that Congress had faced difficulties in northern states where Ram is widely worshipped, while it had performed better in parts of the south where Shiva has a strong religious presence. Reddy subsequently described Ram as the “God of the rich” and Shiva as the “God of the poor”, while also alleging that the BJP represented wealthy interests.

The comments drew a sharp response from Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao, who criticised the comparison and accused the chief minister of attempting to create divisions among Hindus as well as between northern and southern India. Rao called the remarks objectionable and demanded an apology from Reddy. He also called on BJP workers to hold protests at the mandal level. Other BJP leaders also criticised the Telangana chief minister’s remarks, arguing that references to the religious and cultural identities associated with Ram and Shiva should not be used to create distinctions within Hindu society.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Reddy also criticised the chief minister, questioning his reference to Ram as a northern deity and Shiva as associated with Dravidian culture. He cited religious sites including Mount Kailash, Kedarnath and Badrinath while challenging the distinction made by the Telangana chief minister. BJP leaders said the remarks could contribute to divisions over regional and religious identities. BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain also criticised Reddy and said such references to the two deities should not be made in political discourse. These statements represent the BJP’s response to Reddy’s comments rather than an independently established interpretation of the religious traditions involved.

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Congress leaders, meanwhile, defended Reddy and rejected the BJP’s criticism. Telangana Congress president Mahesh Kumar Goud said there was no need for Reddy to apologise and explained that the chief minister was making a comparison based on the traditional visual representations of the two deities. Goud said Congress regards both Ram and Shiva with equal respect and worship, while accusing the BJP of using Lord Ram for political purposes. He argued that Reddy’s remarks were directed at the political use of religious symbolism rather than intended as a comparison of the religious importance of the two deities.

The controversy follows Reddy’s broader criticism of the BJP’s use of religious slogans and symbolism. At the same event, he questioned why “Har Har Mahadev” was not used as frequently by BJP leaders as “Jai Shri Ram” and said the BJP had, in his view, appropriated Ram as a political symbol. Reddy also linked the issue to the cultural distinction between northern and southern India and said Congress had faced electoral challenges in northern states while retaining support in parts of the south. The BJP has rejected this framing and said the remarks risk creating unnecessary divisions over religion and geography.

The exchange adds to the ongoing political friction between the Congress-led Telangana government and the BJP, with both sides continuing to contest the interpretation and political significance of Reddy’s remarks. The BJP has demanded an apology and criticised the comments, while Congress has stood by the chief minister and said his remarks were aimed at questioning the political use of religious symbolism. The dispute is centred on competing political interpretations of Ram, Shiva, regional identity and the use of religious references in public life, rather than on any change in the religious status or traditions associated with either deity.

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