BJP does politics of religion, Cong talks about religious equality: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday accused the BJP of indulging in politics of religion, while asserting that the Congress always talks about religious equality.

Today, the BJP is doing politics in the name of religion. Using religion to come to power is one thing but taking all religions along is a challenging task which the Congress did successfully after independence. The Congress always talks about equality of all religions, Gehlot said.

These people (BJP) ask what the Congress has done in 70 years? The modern India of today is the gift of Congress which believes in sarva dharma sambhav'. They talk about making India Congress-free. I've said many times that it will never happen as Congress is in every house," Gehlot told reporters here.

Asked about the likely outcome of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, he said, "This country has been captured by forces who have never believed in democracy. They neither believed in it in the past, nor will they do it in future, he said targeting the BJP.

But if you do politics in the name of religion or caste, you can see what kind of situation arises. There is no place in a democracy to provoke people in the name of religion, he said.

Extending his greetings on the International Women's Day on Tuesday, he said, Time has come to talk about empowerment of women.

Today is the day to think how we should play our part for women empowerment and what can we contribute. The government is taking all kinds of steps to empower women.