INDI Alliance politicians have repeatedly been portrayed as Hindu deities in public displays, events, and political campaigns, leading to widespread outrage among Hindus and accusations of Hinduphobia. Such incidents not only trivialize the sacred symbols of Hindu dharma but also reflect a deeper pattern of disrespect towards Hindu beliefs and religious sensitivities.

Recurring Pattern of Denigration

Over the past decade and more, there have been at least 15 documented cases where INDI Alliance leaders were depicted as gods and goddesses, often for political mileage. These representations have included dramatizations of Hindu epics with politicians in the roles of revered figures, and even the installation of statues mimicking their likeness, sometimes during major Hindu festivals.

• On October 5, 2025, a banner at the Congress office in Uttar Pradesh depicted Rahul Gandhi as Bhagwan Ram and Ajay Rai as Lakshman fighting a multi-headed “Ravana” (a blatant politicization of an iconic symbol in Hindu dharma). This sparked condemnation from Hindu leaders and calls for apology, as it was seen as deeply insulting to Hindu sentiment.
• In Rae Bareli (September 10, 2025), Congress, RJD, and Samajwadi Party leaders were depicted as Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh—a trivializing combination which many Hindus considered sacrilegious.
• During Ganesh Chaturthi in 2025, a statue modeled on Telangana CM Revanth Reddy was made in the likeness of Bhagwan Ganesh—a move widely criticized as disrespectful to one of the most loved deities in Hindu dharma.

Trivialization of Hindu Symbols

Such acts are not merely poor taste—they reflect a mindset that treats Hindu imagery and beliefs as tools for political branding. Hindu dharma, with its millennia-old traditions, is based on deep reverence for the divine. Reducing gods and goddesses to mere props for self-promotion erodes the sanctity that millions of Hindus hold dear.

• Posters in Kanpur (2024) depicted Rahul Gandhi as Lord Krishna, with party members justifying it as a “mirroring” of his political role. These actions, though presented as harmless admiration, amount to cultural appropriation and have drawn sharp criticism from both religious leaders and the Hindu public.
• In Telangana (September 2023), Sonia Gandhi was depicted as a goddess, complete with a crown and a map of Telangana emerging from her hand, months after the Congress Working Committee meeting—a shocking act of personal glorification that many see as an affront not only to faith but also to Bharat Mata herself.

Public and Religious Leaders’ Outrage

The consistent outcry from Hindu organizations, political opponents, and ordinary devotees reveals how such acts are viewed: as Hinduphobia and denigration, not simply as political creativity.

• The installation of Durga murtis resembling political leaders like Mamata Banerjee (Malda, 2021; Kolkata, 2016) and Priyanka Gandhi (Lucknow, 2019) during Durga Puja, one of Hindu dharma’s holiest festivals, met with mass protest and social media backlash for distorting sacred traditions for electoral gain.
• In Bhopal (2019, 2021) and Allahabad (2014), posters showing Congress leaders as Lord Ram, Krishna, or Arjuna led to legal cases and FIRs for hurting religious sentiment, and, in some instances, public apologies or distancing from the posters by the parties themselves.
• Temples built for Sonia Gandhi (Telangana, 2014) and billboards portraying CPI(M) leaders as gods (Kerala, 2021) further amplified the perception that INDI Alliance treats Hindu dharma frivolously, employing divinity as a commodity rather than with respect.

Evidence of Hinduphobia

The recurring tendency to co-opt Hindu imagery while ignoring religious sensitivities is consistently seen as an insult by those who cherish Sanatana Dharma.

• Select targeting of Hindu deities and festivals for political dramatization, rather than symbols from other religions, has reinforced the belief among Hindus that such actions are not merely insensitive but indicative of a deeper Hinduphobic mindset.
• Critics argue that repeated apologies after public outrage or dismissals as “creativity” are inadequate, as they do not address the underlying pattern of disrespect and appropriation.

Less Frequent but Similar Instances by BJP

It is imperative to note that there have also been reported instances where BJP leaders and supporters have depicted their own politicians as Hindu deities, attracting similar criticism for appropriating religious imagery for political messaging.

• During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP supporters in Varanasi launched the slogan “Har Har Modi”, adapting the revered “Har Har Mahadev” chant traditionally dedicated to Lord Shiva. This upset many Hindu religious leaders, who considered it disrespectful and protested the alteration of sacred mantras to praise a political leader.
• Posters circulated in Rajasthan depicted BJP leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, and Rajnath Singh as the holy Hindu trinity—Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was shown as Goddess Annapoorna. This act by BJP MLA Surya Kant Vyas sparked controversy and complaints from within the party and members of the Hindu community, who felt religious sentiments were hurt.
• BJP was also linked to a temple proposal for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as modified Sanskrit prayers substituting Modi’s name for “Devi” (goddess), again causing backlash among spiritual leaders and devotees who condemned such practices as inappropriate.

These acts received strong criticism both from Hindu dharmic teachers and activists, who called the deification of politicians “unfortunate and blasphemous.” Even Modi sympathizers among Hindu spiritual leaders distanced themselves from such campaigns, asserting that equating humans with gods distorts religious values and disrespects the faith.

While such incidents by BJP supporters tend to be less frequent or publicly disavowed by senior party leadership, they nonetheless show that political deification and the use of sacred imagery for party promotion is a cross-party phenomenon, and needs to be checked and prevented through social and political backlash to prevent such denigration of Hindu dharma and its icons.

Conclusion

The history of INDI Alliance politicians being portrayed as Hindu gods and goddesses is not merely a string of isolated incidents. It is symptomatic of a larger pattern of Hinduphobia and disregard for the beliefs and sentiments of the Hindu majority. The repeated trivialization and politicization of Hindu symbols to further political ambitions must be recognized for what it is—disrespect to one of the world’s oldest religions and its millions of followers.

Source: 15 Incidents When INDI Alliance Politicians were Portrayed As Deities (From 2007 to 2025)