Attacking Rahul Gandhi for his recent temple visits, Sahasrabuddhe says Gandhis trying to clear ‘spiritual backlog’ with an eye on elections.
New Delhi: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Madhya Pradesh has taken the temple politics to the Congress and challenged the party to support the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, the state in-charge of BJP for, also launched an attack on Congress president Rahul Gandhi for what he said was resorting to ‘fake Hindutva’ for political benefit.
Speaking to ThePrint, Sahasrabuddhe, who is also the chief of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, said that the Gandhis are trying to “clear their spiritual backlog” with an eye on elections.
“They talk about Ram Vangaman Path. The story of Ram starts from Ayodhya, the very idea they (Congress) have not supported,” said the BJP leader.
In its election manifesto in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress seemed to copy the BJP and tried to woo Hindus by promising to build the Ram Vangaman Path, a mythical route taken by Lord Ram when he was in exile.
Madhya Pradesh is set to vote in a single-phase election on 28 November.
Also read: VHP to step up pressure on Modi govt over Ram temple construction, to hold ‘big events’
Reversing Gandhi’s teachings
Looking to attack Gandhi for his recent temple visits and what is seen as a new-found love for Hindu rituals, the Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra also claimed that the Congress chief may have been oblivious to the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, who was taught about spirituality in politics.
“The Congress under leadership of its chief Rahul Gandhi has reversed the teachings the guru of Mahatma Gandhi, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, taught him to follow spiritualism of politics,” he said.
“Here, junior Gandhi is following the politics of spiritualism,” the BJP leader added.
‘Political gains’
In an apparent reference to the Congress manifesto promise of setting up and developing gaushalas (cow shelter), commercial production of gaumutra (cow urine) and kanda (cowdung cakes), Sahasrabuddhe claimed that the party is politicising the issue of cow protection for its political gains.
“Cow protection is the guiding principle for the nation as there have been mention of ban on cow slaughter in many states. And it was not BJP or RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) that had written it or stated that cow ban should be respected,” said Sahasrabuddhe.
“The respect for cow is intrinsic to the nature of this country. Now, for political gains in the state, Congress is waking up to the reality on ground,” he added.
Also read: BJP unlikely to bring ordinance to push Ram temple construction
On RSS ban
In its manifesto, the Congress also promised a ban on RSS if the party came to power, only to retract it later.
Sahasrabuddhe said that the culture of ban is in Rahul Gandhi’s blood.
“RSS was banned earlier. This is retrograde on part of Congress. They are resorting to politics of 1990s,” he said.
“However, people have realised their true nature. This nation will not witness Emergency again,” added Sahasrabuddhe.