The Rajasthan government's decision to appease the gods and officially conduct special prayers on June 21 for a good monsoon has come in for flak from the opposition which says that religion is a private affair.
Terming the entire affair a "drama", Leader of Opposition B.D. Kalla said worshipping god should be done privately.
The special prayers on June 21, an auspicious day according to Hindu mythology, for good rains and all round development of the state are being held at the specific instance of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, considered a deeply religious person.
The three-hour prayers, to be conducted by 11 priests at select places of worship, would be attended by Raje and all her cabinet colleagues.
While she would be participating in prayers to please Lord Shiva in Osiyan in Jodhpur division, her Transport Minister Yunus Khan would participate in a ceremony at the Moinuddin Chisti 'dargah', memorial, in Ajmer.
Other ministers would be busy too.
Education Minister Ghanshayam Tiwari would be at Jharkand Mahadev temple in Jaipur; Minister of State for Irrigation Surendra Singh would attend prayers at a gurudwara in Ganganagar; Minister of State for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Kalu Lal Gurjar would be at church in Ajmer and Minister of State Vasudev Devnani would attend a prayer meeting at the Jhulelal temple in Jaipur.
This is not the first time that the Devasthan department of the government is conducting all religion prayers.
Between Dec 15 and Jan 14 this year, soon after Raje took over as head of a Bharatiya Janata Party government, special prayers were held all over the state as the period was considered inauspicious in the Hindu calendar. Then, the department had conducted prayers at 155 identified places in the state.
In the six months since she took over, Raje must have visited all the important places of worship in Rajasthan and neighbouring states.