'Sip gaumutra' remark: BJP leader takes u-turn says, no "compulsion"

Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 1 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Indore on Tuesday took a u-turn from his remark to "sip gaumutra" before entering Garba pandals during the Navratri festival after it sparked a controversy, saying it was his personal view.
Chintu Verma, BJP District President, Indore, had requested organisers to make people sip cow urine before letting them in garba pandals during the Navratri festival.
"Yesterday I expressed my words with a very sacred feeling, but many people and Congress turned it into a controversy. I believe that everyone has their own religious beliefs. Our country India is a country where all religions exist. My personal views were not such that there is any compulsion or restriction, it was just a sacred feeling," said Chintu Verma, BJP District President, Indore.
"We belong to a Sanatan culture and traditions have been going on since the time of sages. Even today we follow those things. I believe that what I said yesterday was my personal opinion and it should not be given the form of any kind of controversy," he added.
Meanwhile, reacting to BJP leader Verma's remark, Congress MLA from Bhopal Madhya assembly seat Arif Masood said that their religion has a different culture, so what is wrong in it, and he had no objection.
"Their (BJP) work is to spread hatred. Even in religious and good events, their effort is to find an angle that creates hatred. My personal opinion is that he did not say anything bad. Their religion has a different culture, if it is allowed in their religion, so what is wrong in it. We are people who believe in the Constitution. Everyone in the country has rights, and whoever wants to go after drinking it (cow urine) can go, what objection do we have. We will not make any comment on it," Masood told ANI.
Earlier on Monday, BJP leader Verma said, "Navratri is our festival of Shakti. Both those who worship Mata Rani and those who watch it are devotees. We have expressed the idea that a cow is our mother and we observe Aachman of Gaumutra (sip of cow urine) for purification. So, I shared my view that people should take a sip of gaumutra before entering the Graba pandal which will be a prasad as well as a form of purification."
When asked whether it should be compulsory for all, he had said, "Of course, it is a religious event and our religious belief." (ANI)