Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday hit back at Congress leader Digvijaya Singh for terming him a "dramatist" after he performed the 'kanya pujan' ritual as part of Navratri festival.  

The chief minister also asked the Congress leadership to clear its stand on the "Sanatan sanskar" of worshipping girls in the form of Goddess, which is a tradition followed in many parts of the country to mark Navmi or the ninth day of Navratri. 

Chouhan and his wife performed the ritual, which involves washing the feet of minor girls, at his official residence on Monday.  

"This is painful. Worshipping daughters is Sanatan sanskar and the entire country was doing this yesterday. You (Digvijaya Singh) term it natak-nautanki. This is your sanskar Digvijaya Singh, Chouhan told reporters when asked for his reaction.

After Chouhan performed the ritual, Singh said the CM is a "big dramatist" who speaks lies. 

"Only people with pure hurt can worship daughters and sisters. I want to ask Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi...Is worshipping daughters a natak-nautanki? What is the stand of Congress? 

"Digvijay Singhji, while opposing Shivraj Singh and Sanatan Dharma, you have stooped so low that you are opposing the worship of daughters," Chouhan said. 

The single-phase polling in Madhya Pradesh will be held on November 17. -- PTI