Says donation money was collected for protection of cow.
Vadodara, sep, 03: A video of Vadodara district BJP president Satish Patel showering a bucketful of currency notes adding up to nearly Rs 3 lakh on a renowned singer at a Ganesh Puja function has gone viral. This comes days after a similar video of Junagadh MP Rajesh Chudasama hit the headlines. Speaking to The Indian Express, Patel said the money showered was collected for “cow protection” as part of a tradition called “gher”.
The video shows Gujarati singer Kirtidan Gadhvi performing as youths collected money from the audience who turned up in hundreds. The bucketful of currency notes was then passed on to the stage. People on the stage took turns to shower money on Gadhvi. Patel, also present on the stage, showered currency notes too. “The event was part of a cultural programme known as ‘gher’ in Gujarati. Such events are organised to collect money from audiences and use it for a good cause. At the September 20 event, money was collected as donation for cow protection. This is a Gujarati tradition widely prevalent in the Saurashtra region,” Patel said. Claiming that Gadhvi was his “close relative,” he said, “He will fly to the US in some time where people will most likely shower dollars on him.” Patel added that the currency was mostly in the denomination of Rs 10 and would amount to no more than Rs 3 lakh. Members of Rabari and Bharwad communities were among the main organisers of the event and constituted a majority of the audience. Both the communities have traditionally been engaged in rearing cows for livelihood. Patel said the money was to be donated to Panjrapol where cows are kept. The programme, organised by youth body Mahakal Yuvak Mandal near Harni airport on city outskirts, was also attended by the state BJP general secretary Shabdsharan Brahmbhatt among others. Last week, a video showing Chudasama showering Rs 10 notes on a singer at a Lok Dayro (folk music) event during Ganesh Puja in Chorwad went viral. Showering money with him were Dilip Barad, president of the Kodinar municipality and son of BJP minister of state for agriculture and civil aviation Jasha Barad.
