Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole has sparked intense criticism after a video showing a party worker washing his muddy feet circulated widely on social media on Tuesday.
Following the video’s release, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a severe critique of both Patole and the Congress party, questioning the party’s “culture” in light of the incident.
The episode occurred on Monday while Patole was touring Akola district and attending a program in Wadegaon. During this tour, he visited the palanquin of Saint Gajanan Maharaj. At Nanasaheb Chincholkar Vidyalaya on June 17, Patole walked through mud while people had paused for a ‘Palkhi Darshan.’ Upon returning to his car, a party worker was seen washing the mud off Patole’s feet. This scene was captured by a bystander and quickly spread on social media.
Patole’s Press Conference
In response to the uproar, Patole held a press conference today, addressing the incident directly. He stated, “I am not hiding yesterday’s incident. The worker was pouring water on my feet. There was no tap – ‘Har ghar mein nal, har ghar mein jal.’ Otherwise, I would have used water from the tap.”
BJP’s Reaction
The BJP was quick to condemn the incident. BJP Mumbai’s official handle posted on X (formerly Twitter), expressing dismay: “What is unfortunate is that the Congress is repeatedly insulting the workers who fight for their lives. It’s a shame that Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole made an activist wash his feet because his feet were muddy. Is this the culture of Congress?”
Accusations of Feudal Mindset
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticized the incident, accusing the Congress of a “Nawabi feudal shehzada” mindset. He demanded apologies from both Patole and the Congress party. Poonawalla posted on X, “Congress has a Nawabi Feudal Shehzada mindset. Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole gets his leg and feet washed by a party worker in Akola. They treat Janta and workers like Ghulam & themselves like Kings & Queens. Imagine how they treat people without coming to power! What will they do if they by mistake come to power? Nana Patole must apologize & so must Congress.”
