Maharashtra oppn accuses Assam govt of stealing their gods
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Bhimashankar temple, Pune.
Mumbai: Post an advertisement released by the Assam government's tourism department as part of the Maha Shivaratri, the opposition in Maharashtra has surfaced with an accusation that Assam is trying to steal their cultural and spiritual heritage, Hindustan Times reported.
The Assam government's ad claims that the state's Kamrup is the site of India's 6th Jyotirlinga. Including a photo of state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, the ad invites devotees to the site, Dakini Hill- which is actually in Pune- for the occasion of Maha Shivratri, which falls on February 18.
In her tweet, NCP leader and MP Supriya Sule wonders whether BJP leaders decided not to leave anything for Maharastra's share. She alleged that earlier, they had stolen Maharashtra's share of industry and employment, and now they want to steal the state's cultural and spiritual heritage as well.
She further said that Bhimshankar, which according to the ad, is in Karmrup, is actually in Maharashtra's Pune district.
HT quoted Sule's Tweet: "Bhimashankar district of Maharashtra is the sixth Jyotirlinga among the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Pune is known as Jyotirlinga. Situated in a very scenic area, this temple is a place of worship for countless devotees. But the state of Assam, ruled by the BJP, has started promoting the Shivlinga at Pamohi near Guwahati as the sixth Jyotirlinga. This is a very mischievous and untrue spread."
Sule further said that Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is the source of the river Bhima and the forest of Dakini. Pune's Bhimshankar is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples in India, she added and cited Shrimad Adya Shankaracharya from his Brihad Ratnakara Stotra to prove her claims.
Congress also remembered to follow Sule's thread. Sachin Sawan, a party leader, said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde deputy CM Devendra Fadnavuis must give an immediate clarification on the state government's stand on the controversial ad. He said that BJP hurt the faith and sentiments of 12 crore people of Maharashtra as well as the whole country.
Jyotirlingas are places where Lord Shiva emerged, and 12 of them are very famous in India. Along with Dakini, Tryambakeshwara, Parali Vajinath, Grishneswar, and Aundh Nagnath are the Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra. The Assam government's ad had a map to guide the devotees too to Bhimshankar Jyotirlinga, which it claimed is in Pamohi, Guwahati.