'Varanasi helped tear down my prejudices'; Padmaja Venugopal's interview grabs national attention

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Padmaja Venugopal, who recently joined BJP from Congress, opened up about her erstwhile fear of applying sandal paste on her forehead as she felt her former party members were apprehensive of it and always gave a stare of rebuke.

“I am very fond of applying sandal paste on my forehead. But when I did it, some people would stare at me like I committed some offence. So I had to go inside and wash away the sandal paste. I am attached to every community. The people who work at my house belong to different communities and I consider them all part of my family” said Padmaja.

'I went to Varanasi some time ago. It was a shocking revelation to me that I found even Muslim communities there admired the BJP and were part of the saffron organization. When enquired they told me that the problem of dividing people on religious basis only existed in the South but had little effect in their place. The Brahmins and Muslims are united in Varanasi since they have a strong ruler with them.” Padmaja opined while talking with a private channel in Kerala.

Padmaja’s uncanny revelation has also attracted national attention after BJP ‘s official page posted the video to criticize the congress party for showing unending revulsion towards the Hindu religion.