Bhubaneswar: State law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Monday slammed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his description of Diwali as “Khushiyon ki Eid”, accusing the party’s functionaries of undermining the country’s identity and pride.Speaking to reporters, Harichandan said the sanctity and cultural significance of Diwali should not be viewed through the prism of political appeasement. “Kharge referring to Diwali as ‘Khushi ki Eid’ raises a question: What is the difficulty in respecting the distinct religious and cultural identity of every festival?” Harichandan said.Kharge, while extending Diwali greetings on Saturday, had described the festival as “Khushiyon ki Eid” and appealed for peace and unity. “This is a big festival in our Hindustan. Everybody celebrates it. The reason is it’s Khushiyon ki Eid,” Kharge had said. He also urged people to set aside conflicts and misunderstandings and “work wholeheartedly to protect our country and foster national unity”.“Diwali symbolises the victory of light over darkness, righteousness over unrighteousness and truth over falsehood. It is our cultural responsibility to respect the essence and traditions of this sacred festival. Respect the identity of every festival and rise above political interests,” he added.Taking a broader swipe at Congress, Harichandan said, “From Rahul Gandhi to Congress president Kharge, Congress functionaries are well aware of India’s territorial integrity and the country’s position in the current global situation. Yet, they make such irrelevant remarks with the aim of undermining the country’s progress, identity and pride.”“If I were to put it in one sentence, they are so determined to undermine the country’s honour and dignity that they have sunk to the lowest level in political history,” he added.Congress spokesperson Rajani Mohanty said there was nothing wrong with Kharge’s statement and BJP should not politicise it. “Both Diwali and Eid are festivals that promote universal brotherhood, peace and amity. The larger message is that there should be no Hindu-Muslim divide,” he added.