BJP indulging in gutter politics: Congress on 'Rahul not a Hindu' remark

Congress backs vice president saying he is a 'janeu-dhari' Hindu

On a day that crackled with political barbs and allegations between the two principal rivals in poll-bound Gujarat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged the Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi was not a Hindu. The Congress rubbished the allegation and accused BJP of indulging in gutter politics.

The Congress leader started his two-day election campaign in Gujarat by visiting the Somnath Temple. The BJP termed Rahul Gandhi's visits to various temples in the state, including Somnath, a charade.

The BJP social media team circulated photographs of the visitor's register at the Somnath Temple to claim that Rahul Gandhi, along with Congress leader Ahmed Patel, had signed in the temple's visitor's book kept for "non-Hindus".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an election campaign rally in Morbi. Photo: PTI

The Congress responded by accusing BJP of forgery. It said the Congress Vice President wasn't just a Hindu, but a 'janeu-dhari' Hindu, somebody who wears the sacred thread. It also circulated photocopies of the temple visitor's book where Rahul Gandhi had put his signature and described the temple as an "inspiring" place.

In the afternoon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined issue with the Congress vice president for having suggested the goods and services tax (GST) rate be capped at 18 per cent. In a counter to Rahul Gandhi having earlier described the GST, rolled out by the Modi government, as the 'Gabbar Singh Tax', Modi told a public rally in Morbi town in Saurashtra that those who have looted the country could only think of dacoits. Gabbar Singh was the eponymous dacoit in the cult Hindi movie of 1975, 'Sholay'.

Without mentioning Rahul Gandhi by name, Modi said a recently emerged "economist" was propagating a "grand stupid thought" by suggesting that GST rate be capped at 18 per cent. Modi said that this would mean 18 per cent tax on salt and 18 per cent tax on luxury cars costing Rs 5 crore. "You want to make goods used by the poor like clothes, footwear and food costlier and you want to make cigarettes and liquor cheaper," he said, slamming the "anti-poor" Congress over its criticism of the tax reform.

The day, however, was marked by a social media war between the Congress and BJP. As Rahul Gandhi, who had recently described himself as a devotee of Lord Shiva, visited the Somnath Temple, the BJP social media cell claimed the first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, had opposed its construction. At his election rally, the PM reminisced an incident where Indira Gandhi was insensitive to the feelings of Gujaratis.

The BJP social media cell also tweeted a photograph ostensibly of the visitor's book at the Somnath Temple to claim Rahul Gandhi had signed the register kept for "non-Hindus" at the temple. The picture also showed that a Congress media team member, who had accompanied Rahul Gandhi to the temple, signed in the visitor's book kept for "Hindus".

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, and the party's social media team, tweeted what they said was the correct photograph of the temple's visitor's book. Surjewala said the temple administration never handed Rahul Gandhi the visitor's book being exhibited by the BJP. He said the BJP having engineered such a controversy was proof that it was rattled. He accused the BJP of "subterfuge" for making the Congress media team member sign the other visitor's book.

"Rahul Gandhi is not only a Hindu, but a 'janeudhari' Hindu," Surjewala said. He said Rahul Gandhi's signature on the visitor's book being shown by the BJP was an obvious forgery as nobody would end their signature by suffixing the honorific 'ji', as was the case in the BJP's photocopy.

The Congress also exhibited photographs of Rahul Gandhi performing Hindu rituals - his father's funeral rites. "This election is not being fought in Pakistan, Afghanistan or China. It is being contested in Gujarat and BJP should focus its discourse on state-specific issues," Surjewala said.

Both Modi and Rahul Gandhi addressed public rallies in predominantly Patidar areas. At an election rally at Visavadar, Rahul Gandhi demanded answers to questions raised by his party on the alleged irregularities in the Rafale jet fighter deal.