Smriti Irani corners Rahul Gandhi on 'Hindu' remark

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday hit out at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and said the latter is doing politics over religion as his party has nothing to say on the lines of development.

Further training guns at Gandhi scion, Irani said Rahul who is currently making continuous assertion in regard with his religious identity, why did not oppose the slaughter of a cow in Kerala by his party workers few months ago.

Earlier in July, Youth Congress activists were booked in Kerala for slaughtering a cow in public, cooking its meat and distributing it. They were charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 428 and section (ii) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.

"When few months back, some youth Congress workers slaughtered cow in Kerala, why Rahul Gandhi did not opposed it at that time on religious ground. I would request him to contest the Gujarat elections on the issues of development. I think they are doing politics on religion, as they don't have anything say on development," Irani told the reporters here.

The union minister's remark came after Gandhi on Thursday said his family is devotee of Lord Shiva, but does not believe in using it for political gain.

A row was erupted over Gandhi's visit to the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, wherein his name was allegedly listed as a non-Hindu visitor in the visitor-book.