(From left) Acharya Kishor Kunal, the chairman of Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and priests at the inauguration of the umbrella in Patna on Wednesday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, July 13: Senior BJP leaders, including national president Nitin Gadkari, L.K. Advani and Sushma Swaraj, have made it a point to support social activist Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption on public platforms.

However, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat chose to be different from his associates today when he came to inaugurate an umbrella shading Sant Ravidas’s statue at Mahavir Sthan in Patna.

Bhagwat kept away from the issue of Hazare’s campaign against corruption or the Congress’s take on it at the programme, which he said was not the proper platform to discuss such issues.

The RSS chief was invited to unveil the structure at the event organised by Shri Mahavir Sthan Nyas Samiti.

He said: “Today, everyone has assembled here with devotional feelings. I was also invited to the inauguration of Sant Ravidas’s statue but I could not come then for some prior engagements. But this time I am fortunate to have been able to come here to inaugurate the umbrella over Sant Ravidas’s statue. I am privileged to be a part of the programme.”

Bhagwat also said people should imbibe the lessons of the saints in their behaviour to overcome difficulties in life. “Saints are connected with the truth and the Almighty. They know well how to overcome difficulties with the help of truth and God. The people should also imbibe teachings of the saints. Sant Ravidas is also one of the greatest saints,” he said.

Later, on further prodding, Bhagwat spoke a few words on the political issue of Hazare’s fight against corruption and said: “Anna Hazare has taken up a good issue. Everyone has to fight against corruption in his/her own way.”

He added: “Religion and corruption have different paths. Religion cannot co-exist with corruption since religion unites the society, while corruption has a completely different approach.”

Before inaugurating the umbrella, Bhagwat also garlanded the statue of Tulsidas at the temple, where priests performed Sant Ravidas’s bhajans.

Suryavanshi Das, the head priest of Mahavir Sthan, told The Telegraph: “The construction work of the umbrella over the statue of Sant Shiromani Ravidas cost Rs 8 lakh. Special artists from Jaipur took one month to make the umbrella and then, it took them another 10 days to install it at Mahavir Sthan.”

Acharya Kishor Kunal, the chairman of Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts, was also present at the inauguration.

On the occasion, Bhagwat felicitated a few priests. Bhagwat gave coconut as bhog (offerings) to all of them on the occasion. Ghanshyam Das, Jagdish Das, Jamuna Das, Sunil Das, Deepak Das and others were among the priests who were felicitated. All the priests are associated with different temples across Bihar.

Speaking about the stones used in the umbrella shading, Acharya Kishor Kunal said: “The umbrella is made of famous sarmathura stones of Jaipur, which are popularly known as red stones.”