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Priyanka Gandhi moving about as ‘Ram bhakt’: Smriti Irani
“Now, the foreign-roaming young generation is offering prayers in the temples to ensure success of the party (Congress),” Smriti Irani said, without taking the name of Priyanka Gandhi.
Hitting out at the Congress, Union textile minister Smriti Irani said on Tuesday that a political party’s members who denied the existence of Lord Ram, by filing an affidavit in the court, are now paying a visit to the temple and doing Ganga darshan for the success of their party in elections. “The Congress party which presented documents in the court saying there is no existence of Lord Ram... the leader of that very party Priyanka Gandhi is moving about as a ‘Ram bhakt’,” she said.
In Bhadohi, where she addressed the Vijay Sankhnad Rally, she also made a veiled attack on Congress general secretary Eastern UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi dubbing her as foreign-roaming Yuwa Peedhi (young generation). “Now, the foreign-roaming young generation is offering prayers in the temples to ensure success of the party (Congress),” Irani said, without taking the name of Priyanka Gandhi.
The Union Textiles Minister was apparently referring to the UPA government in 2007 withdrawing from the apex court an affidavit filed by the ASI claiming there was no historical or scientific evidence to establish existence of Lord Ram and Rama Setu as a man-made bridge.
Irani’s remarks also come in the backdrop of Priyanka Gandhi’s proposed visit to Faizabad and Ayodhya later this week.
The Union minister also tore into the Congress for reportedly coining terms like ‘Hindu terrorists’. The BJP had accused the opposition party of using the term ‘saffron terror’ following the acquittal of right-wing activist Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast. Irani, who is fighting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Amethi, alleged that Congress leaders who once said ‘Hindus are terrorists’, have now taken up the ‘janaeu’ (scared Hindu thread).
Taking a boat ride between March 18 and March 20, Priyanka Gandhi recently toured four districts of Eastern UP, including Bhadohi, where she offered prayers to Maa Sita at Sitamarhi. Later, she visited Vindhyachal and offered prayers to Maa Vindhyavasini and also visited Mazaar of Kantit Sharif in the district.
She had also offered prayers at the temple of Baba Kashi Vishwanath at Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi.
Irani appealed to the people to give one more chance to PM Modi saying, “Only the chowkidar can save the country.”
- with inputs from agencies
