Hyderabad: After an 11-day prayaschitta-deeksha (penance), Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan has returned to donning the politicians’ signature white khaddar. However, it appears that the saffron tilak on his forehead is here to stay.
“I am an unapologetic Sanatani Hindu,” declared the popular Telugu film star-turned-politician at Tirupati last week, after concluding his penance clad in vermillion robes and a darshan of Lord Venkateshwara on the Tirumala hill.
“I can sacrifice my life, my everything to save, preserve our dharma,” added the Jana Sena party chief, a partner in the TDP-BJP combine, in a blistering warning to “pseudo-secularists/intellectuals” at his Varahi sabha.
Kalyan’s ‘Varahi declaration’ outlines demands for a robust national act to protect Sanatana Dharma, the establishment of a “Sanatana Dharma Protection Board,” and a commitment to non-cooperation with individuals or organisations that “defame or spread hatred” against Sanatana Dharma.
The JSP chief lambasted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “naach-gaana” comments on Ayodhya’s Ram Temple inauguration. And in response to the earlier controversial remarks made by Udhayanidhi Stalin—the DMK scion and current Deputy CM of Tamil Nadu—Kalyan said, “Those who want to wipe out Sanatana Dharma will themselves be wiped out.”
Kalyan, 53, emphasised that safeguarding Sanatana Dharma with his life is an oath he took at the age of 21 at Tirupati, inspired by the sacred hills and the slogan “Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah” (if dharma is protected, then dharma protects the one who protected it)—a message prominently displayed throughout the temple town.
Based on his recent revelation, it seems that Kalyan’s views on religion have come full circle over the past three decades. For Kalyan has professed his detachment from caste, creed, region, and religion on several occasions in his political career, starting from his debut in 2008 as the youth wing chief of the Praja Rajyam Party, founded by his brother and Telugu megastar K. Chiranjeevi.
Kalyan, who used to list Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara as an inspiration, founded the JSP in 2014. The party sat out the elections that year, but supported the BJP-TDP alliance. However, in the 2019 Andhra Pradesh polls, JSP allied with the Left and BSP, but won just one seat out of 175 assembly constituencies, with Kalyan himself losing in both Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram—the segments he contested in.
Nevertheless, in a mega turnaround, this year, Pawan’s JSP won in all the 21 assembly and two Lok Sabha seats it contested in alliance with TDP and BJP.
Pawan’s role in reducing the YSRCP from 151 seats to just 11, as well as his contribution to the NDA’s strong performance in the Lok Sabha elections, was acknowledged by PM Narendra Modi, who described him as an ‘aandhi’ (storm).
Kalyan’s detractors are now sharing past video clips of him on social media, questioning where the JSP supremo’s true allegiance lies—humanity or religiosity.
Actor Prakash Raj—once Kalyan’s co-actor in several blockbusters like Badri, Jalsa, Suswagatham—is now his bitter critic, especially online.
“One avatar before winning, another avatar after winning. What is this confusion for us? What is the truth?” Raj wrote in an X post, accompanied by #justasking.
However, in recent years, well before the 2024 polls, Pawan clearly embraced a strong devotion to God, undertaking pilgrimages to several shrines, including the Kondagattu Hanuman temple in Telangana, seeking blessings and strength.
The JSP supremo even launched his olive-green campaign vehicle, Vaarahi, built like an army tank, at the Kondagattu Hanuman temple in January. During the YSRCP’s rule, he was vocally critical of then CM Jagan Mohan Reddy, particularly regarding various incidents of desecration reported at temples in Andhra Pradesh.
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Political calculations or impulsive urge to save dharma?
The Jana Sena Party chief undertook the prayaschita deeksha to “atone” for what he described as various affronts to the almighty and the Hindu faith, including desecrations such as the alleged ghee contamination of laddu prasadam at Tirupati that occurred during the previous regime.
Since the NDA’s Andhra Pradesh alliance head and CM Chandrababu Naidu made shocking claims in mid-September about the alleged use of animal fat in Tirupati’s laddus during the YSRCP regime, junior partner Kalyan has repeatedly and vehemently accused Jagan and his party of “grievously hurting Hindu sentiments.”
As part of his atonement, initiated at Sri Dasavatara Venkateswara Swamy temple in Guntur, Pawan took part in a ‘Aalaya Suddhi’ (temple cleaning) ritual at Vijayawada’s famous Kanaka Durga temple. On the penultimate day, the deputy CM walked barefoot, as lakhs of devotees do, to the Tirumala hills from Tirupati to reach the famed shrine.
Kalyan, who donned turmeric/orange-tinged clothes for most part of Deeksha, appeared in dark vermillion robes while in Tirumala Wednesday, and again on Thursday, last week, when he addressed a big public gathering to announce his Varahi declaration at downhill Tirupati city.
“If I have to lose everything, including my life, and my political power as deputy CM, I am ready to let it go for the sake of Sanatana Dharma,” Pawan said addressing the crowds.
Political observers ThePrint spoke to say Kalyan has only to gain and nothing to lose by espousing Hindutva/Sanatana Dharma.
While some analysts view his espousal of Sanatana Dharma and his emergence as “a messiah of Hindu/Hindutva” as a purely impulsive and emotional outburst, some see it as a well laid out strategy for him to come out of TDP supremo and CM Naidu’s shadow.
“It appears a calculated political move to expand the JSP’s base from a Kapu and youth centric party to encompass all those—regardless of caste allegiances AP is known for—willing to sway towards Sanatana Dharma/Hindutva thought,” says Nalamotu Chakravarthy, chair, AP Tomorrow, an intellectual/civil society platform.
“PK got 21 seats now, unless he elevates himself and strengthens the JSP vote base, with what claim can he seek more segments in the next polls?” questions Nalamotu
Vasireddi Srinivas, a political analyst, sees a BJP push to Pawan’s actions, aspirations, “for regardless of how the equation with Naidu/TDP will be, the BJP would like to prop up Pawan in expectation of a merger or stronger alliance between the two for it to emerge sturdier in the state eventually.”
However, both observers doubt if the people of Andhra Pradesh have an appetite for religion-based electoral politics, and if Pawan has the patience, long-term plan to sustain his Hindu Sanatana campaign.
JSP’s official homepage still highlights the party’s seven siddhantalu (principles), with “politics sans mention of religion” on the top.
Ajaya Kumar Vemulapati, JSP’s national spokesperson, and chairman, conflict management committee (party’s version of disciplinary panel), denies that Pawan’s latest agenda, tirades are linked to political intentions.
There is also no contradiction or drift in Kalyan’s socio-economic, religious political thoughts, the senior leader added.
“PK still idolises Che Guevera. When it comes to social, societal issues, he leans Left, and on the spiritual side, to the right. There is also no contradiction on the religion front, as his stated stand is only against those vilifying, attacking Hinduism, not against any other faith, be it Islam, Christianity, Sikhism or Buddhism,” Vemulapati told ThePrint.
“Our leader professes, pronounces what is correct. He is not least bothered about being politically correct. We don’t need to rake up religion for the sake of votes; the deputy CM’s and his associates’ good work would elevate, expand the party base in coming years. There is no political mileage we calculated or expect from our leader’s staunch Sanatana Dharma stand,” said Vemulapati, who was appointed the chairman of Andhra Pradesh Township and Infrastructure Development Corporation, a nominated post, a few days ago.
Meanwhile, Kalyan, back to business as deputy CM, seems to be finding a religious connection to all things around him.
Attending an event to mark Wildlife Week celebrations at Aranya Bhavan at Mangalagiri, Kalyan—the Deputy Chief Minister, in-charge of Environment, Forests and Science and Technology sectors—Monday described how tribes of Nallamala range in AP revere wild animals like tiger as Peddamma devudu (God), the bear as Lingamaiah, and wild boar as Bangaru Maisamma.
“Our puranas talk about matsyavataram (fish avatar), kurmavataram (tortoise avatar), varahaavatharam (boar avatar), emphasising the need to respect, value all the life forms around us.”
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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