Shivraj Singh Chouhan derides Rahul Gandhi's temple visits

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday derided Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's recent visits to temples in Gujarat during his recent campaign tour in the poll-bound state, saying that in the run up to the assembly polls in the state, people, who never prayed before, have now resorted to visiting temples.

"Jinhonein aaj tak pooja ki thhaali nahin utthaayi, woh abb mandir jaa rahe hain; bade bade tilak laga rahe hain (People who never prayed before, are now resorting to visiting temples)," Chouhan said, while addressing a gathering at Ankleshwar.

Further, reiterating Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's assertion on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Chouhan said the Jammu and Kashmir issue was given by the Congress and late Jawaharlal Nehru.

"Had the matter of Jammu and Kashmir not been governed by Jawaharlal Nehru and handed over to Sardar Patel, there would have not been any problem there today. The matter would have been resolved. If there is any problem in Jammu and Kashmir today, it is given by Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru," he said.

Rajnath Singh, on Saturday, had said had former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru given a free hand to Sardar Patel, then India wouldn't have had the Kashmir problem.

Chouhan further said that the Congress lacked the vision to witness the development in the state.

"The Congress cannot see the development as to see the development, you need vision. Those who are blind cannot see the development. You just do not require vision but also brains to see development," he added.

Rahul Gandhi, eyeing to dethrone the ruling BJP in Gujarat, made a much-publicised visit to the state as part of the campaign for the assembly elections, and claimed that his party will outdo 22 years of the BJP government's developmental achievements in just six months.

The last Congress government in Gujarat was led by Chhabildas Mehta from February 17, 1994 to March 13, 1995.

The 14th legislative assembly elections in Gujarat are to be held by the end of 2017 as the term of 13th assembly ends on January 22, 2018.