{"data":{"prismicArticle":{"uid":"god-as-a-political-prop-faith-in-the-crossfire","tags":["Editorial"],"first_publication_date":"2026-02-21T12:26:08+0000","last_publication_date":"2026-02-22T13:28:57+0000","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"God As A Political Prop: Faith In The Crossfire"},"rating":null,"datetime":"2026-02-21T09:05:00+0000","img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/aZmRNsFoBIGEgnc2_god.JPG?auto=format,compress"},"embed":{"embed_url":null,"thumbnail_url":null,"author_url":null,"title":null},"content":{"raw":[{"text":"“ఎక్కడో దూరాన కూర్చున్నావు..ఇక్కడి మా తలరాతలు రాస్తున్నావు /చిత్రమైన గారడి చేస్తున్నావు..తమాష చూస్తున్నావు … సామీ”( Seated afar, You write our destiny here below/Watching the fun, You put on a magical puppet show)-Lines from classic song in the film Devudamma(1973).."},{"text":"The 1973 classic song portrayed God as a distant observer, pulling the strings of human destiny from above."},{"text":"Back then, God was the director or that is what the lyricist made us believe."},{"text":"In today's Andhra Pradesh politics, however, the roles have flipped. God isn't pulling the strings anymore; He’s being used as the string, a handy prop in a political circus where leaders are brazenly using His photos to settle scores."},{"text":"The recent chaos in the Legislative Council over the Tirupati Laddu mess is a perfect example."},{"text":"What should have been a serious talk about contamination of God’s prasadam turned into a schoolyard brawl."},{"text":"By parading pictures of Lord Venkateswara through the hall, while allegedly wearing shoes, politicians turned a sacred icon into a \"punching bag.\" It seemed the Deity was willingly caught himself amidst floor protests and dodging flying slippers."},{"text":"The timing of this \"Sacrilege accusations\" is suspiciously perfect."},{"text":"The outrage exploded exactly when the opposition members tried to talk about Indapur Dairy and its links to Heritage Foods (the CM’s family business)."},{"text":"Suddenly, the conversation shifted from \"where did the ghee come from?\" to \"who wore shoes while carrying  the photo?\" It’s a classic magic trick: look at the slippers on the floor, but please ignore the balance sheets of the dairy and the conspirators behind the alleged contamination of the Tirupati Laddu."},{"text":"This isn't about deep faith; it’s about political insecurity. The government successfully turned a boring corporate audit, the debate into the controversy into a holy war."},{"text":"By screaming \"Desecration!\", they managed to hide uncomfortable questions about business reputations and supply-chain contracts behind a wall of religious anger."},{"text":"It’s a case of “Why talk about grease and ghee when you can talk about gods and ghosts, and saints and sinners”?"},{"text":"Instead of catching the people who actually tainted the Prasadam, the state’s political leaders are stuck in a game of \"Whataboutism.\""},{"text":"While the government shouts \"Blasphemy!\", the opposition digs up old videos of the Chief Minister wearing slippers during a prayer."},{"text":"It’s a race to see who is less holy. The average person is left wondering: is the temple’s sanctity being protected, or is a corporate contract being shielded?"},{"text":"Using God to score points in a political fight is playing with fire. It risks stirring up a communal frenzy that could easily spin out of control."},{"text":"When faith is reduced to a political tool, the truth gets buried under a mountain of fake outrage."},{"text":"To update that old song: it’s not God pulling our strings anymore, it’s the politicians. And God? He’s just a silent prop forced to watch the \"fun\" from the front row of a legislative fight."}]}}},"relatedArticles":{"edges":[{"node":{"uid":"mahanadu-a-non-stop-spectacle-of-vainglory-and-vil","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Mahanadu: A Non-Stop Spectacle Of Vainglory And Vilification"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/ahlkEQeQX7-eWbI9_mahanadu2026.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-29T06:30:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"pawan-kalyan-mishandling-caste-dynamics","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Pawan Kalyan: Mishandling Caste Dynamics?"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/ahadBrK9tuLqELCz_PK.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-27T06:28:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"america-first-visa-tool-an-economic-trap","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"America First Visa Tool: An Economic Trap"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/ahP5UrK9tuLqEHIy_indus.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-25T06:30:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"cjp-neither-a-revolution-nor-a-threat","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"CJP: Neither a Revolution nor a Threat!"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/ahLICrK9tuLqEGaZ_CockroackJantaParty.png?auto=format,compress&rect=0,33,756,373&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-23T23:42:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"the-sweet-smell-of-distraction","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"The Sweet Smell Of Distraction"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/ag7An6YofJOwHeV3_modimeloni.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-21T06:21:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"the-growing-menace-of-rash-cab--bike-taxi-drivers","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"The Growing Menace of Rash Cab & Bike Taxi Drivers"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/319c0a02-480b-47f0-9e45-02e1bf6a4fa6_olauber.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-20T23:38:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"is-the-curtain-falling-on-ms-dhoni","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Is the Curtain Falling on MS Dhoni?"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/ag10t6YofJOwHacT_dhoni.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-20T06:45:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"decoding-the-mujh-se-judo-invitation","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Decoding The \"Mujh Se Judo\" Invitation"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/agwK9KYofJOwHWjf_modirr.JPG?auto=format,compress"},"datetime":"2026-05-19T06:30:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"how-indias-burnol-moment-became-a-kaalia-conundrum","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"How India's \"Burnol Moment\" Became A \"Kaalia\" Conundrum?"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/agrhE6YofJOwHUXx_modiprimcetrumpxiping.JPG?auto=format,compress"},"datetime":"2026-05-18T06:25:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"aps-new-formula-more-children-less-wealth","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"AP's New Formula: More Children, Less Wealth"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/Z4vT4ZbqstJ99mL2_CBN.JPG?auto=format,compress"},"datetime":"2026-05-17T02:30:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"austerity-call-a-political-moment-or-mere-a-politi","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Austerity Call: A Political Moment Or Mere A Political Noise?"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/agbycKYofJOwHRMg_cbnmodipk.JPG?auto=format,compress"},"datetime":"2026-05-15T05:32:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"saffron-shields-and-felony-warrants","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Saffron Shields And Felony Warrants"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/agV40aYofJOwHPXa_bandisanjay.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-14T07:25:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"the-tale-of-two-austerity-calls","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"The Tale Of Two Austerity Calls"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/agMVY6YofJOwHH2v_indiragandhimodi.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-12T10:56:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"the-austerity-show-rules-for-thee-but-not-for-me","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"The 'Austerity' Show: Rules For Thee, But Not For Me"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/agLbaKYofJOwHG5X_modishow.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-12T06:49:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"the-ideological-pivot-the-duplicity-of-poriborton","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"The Ideological Pivot: The Duplicity Of Poriborton"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/af7S4qYofJOwHB-n_shahadhikari.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-08T20:25:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"vijays-new-script---pawans-faulty-review","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Vijay's New Script - Pawan's Faulty Review"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/af7RgKYofJOwHB-m_pkvijay.JPG?auto=format,compress"},"datetime":"2026-05-09T06:18:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"how-narrative-warfare-won-the-east-and-south","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"How Narrative Warfare Won The East And South"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/af7f9KYofJOwHCB0_mammodvij.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-08T18:30:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"why-vijay-succeeded-where-pawan-stalled","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Why Vijay Succeeded Where Pawan Stalled?"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/afrj6sBOoF08xpr5_pkvijay.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-06T01:47:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"how-bjp-cracked-bengal","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"How BJP Cracked Bengal?"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/afHbG8BOoF08xaaG_modimamata.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,0,2028,1000&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-04T17:31:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"mamatas-key---the-poem-that-now-questions-her","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"Mamata’s ‘Key’ - the poem that now questions her"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/e4149b3a-126b-4729-83d3-4e3cf964377c_mamata+benarjee.JPG?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C0%2C1200%2C592&w=2028&h=1000"},"datetime":"2026-05-03T11:17:00+0000"}}},{"node":{"uid":"ap-the-death-of-defiance-and-the-rise-of-compliance","data":{"third_party_url":null,"title":{"text":"AP: The Death Of Defiance And The Rise Of Compliance"},"img":{"url":"https://images.prismic.io/prad/afb8G8BOoF08xjhs_modicbnpkjagan.JPG?auto=format,compress"},"datetime":"2026-05-03T07:41:00+0000"}}}]}},"pageContext":{"isCreatedByStatefulCreatePages":false,"uid":"god-as-a-political-prop-faith-in-the-crossfire","tags":["Editorial"]}}