Saharanpur

Congress MP Imran Masood on Tuesday accused the government of fostering division by forcing citizens to repeatedly establish their identity, calling the current situation in the country “unusual and alarming.”

Speaking to reporters, Masood said people are increasingly being asked to prove not just their citizenship or voter credentials, but even their religious identity. He alleged that religious figures are also being subjected to such scrutiny, which he described as deeply disrespectful. “Even a Shankaracharya is being asked to establish who he is. This is an insult to religious heads,” he said.

Masood was referring to a notice reportedly issued by the Prayagraj Mela administration to Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati regarding the use of the title ‘Shankaracharya’. Calling the move unacceptable, the Congress leader said questioning the legitimacy of such a position was unprecedented. “There can be no greater insult to a Shankaracharya than this,” he added.

He alleged that those who claim to practise politics in the name of saints and sages were, in fact, responsible for humiliating them the most. Masood also cited Gangotri Dham, describing it as a revered Hindu pilgrimage site traditionally respected by Muslims, and warned that identity verification in such places would only deepen social fault lines.

“The environment is being shaped in a way where one must first prove that they are Hindu to enter a temple. Earlier, people were asked to prove citizenship; now religion is being questioned,” he said.

The MP further alleged that after the use of bulldozers against mosques, madrasas and centuries-old dargahs, religious structures of other faiths were also coming under scrutiny. Referring to claims made by Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand, Masood said around 150 temples were allegedly demolished in Varanasi. “On what grounds, then, do you describe yourselves as Sanatani?” he asked.

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Masood accused the BJP of deliberately shifting focus away from pressing issues such as unemployment, education and the economy by promoting polarisation and discord among communities and castes.