New Delhi: When Nitin Nabin met Russian envoy Denis Alipov at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters on Tuesday, the BJP chief shared a video of the meeting with Boney M’s hit ‘Ra Ra Rasputin’ tune playing in the background.
That choice of tune drew criticism from opposition leaders from the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, who called it “comical” and “tasteless”.
The song has also featured in the Bollywood spy film ‘Dhurandhar’ and become a popular reference in social media posts and memes involving Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Written by Boney M’s creator Frank Farian, George Reyam, and Fred Jay, the 1978 Eurodisco hit song is about Grigori Rasputin, a Siberian self-proclaimed mystic, who became close to the family of Tsar Nicholas II, the last emperor of Russia, and gained considerable influence at the imperial court.
His detractors accused Rasputin of sexual misconduct and political manipulation, with many seeing him as someone with undue influence over the imperial Romanov family.
The song historically draws on that image of Rasputin as a powerful and scandalous figure close to the Russian royal family.
Congress leader and spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the song’s use was inappropriate, due to its association with memes and jokes about Russian President Vladimir Putin. She also referred to the song’s history and the controversy surrounding its performance in the Soviet Union.
“BJP President Nitin Nabin met the Russian ambassador, and they put the song ‘Ra Ra Rasputin’ on the video. But this song insults Russia. It’s widely used in reels making memes and jokes about Putin. This song was made by the Boney M band and in 1978 the band was not allowed to perform this song in the USSR,” she wrote on X.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra also criticised Nabin for using the song in the video. “Yes it IS a shame how he’s carrying on! President of BJP posts video from official account of meeting Russian Ambassador set to tune of Boney M’s Ra Ra Rasputin, Russia’s Greatest Love Machine…(sic),” she wrote on X.
On his part, Nabin said that the meeting with Alipov was “warm and productive” and that they discussed India-Russia ties, including the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in maintaining the relationship.
“I was pleased to welcome His Excellency Denis Alipov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to India, to the headquarters of the Bharatiya Janata Party. We held a warm and productive conversation about the time-tested relations between India and Russia, which continue to strengthen thanks to the trust and regular interactions between the esteemed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin,” he wrote on X.
Nabin also said he discussed the BJP’s history and organisational structure with the Russian ambassador, including the role of party functionaries in maintaining its connection with people.
“I also shared the history of the BJP’s formation, its organizational structure, and the important role of our functionaries in maintaining close ties with the people.”
The BJP president referred to the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Russia in 2027, saying he was confident that the partnership would continue to strengthen.
The BJP is yet to comment on the Opposition’s criticism.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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