HYDERABAD: After Varanasi police registered an FIR against Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and others, Congress MP Pawan Khera on Sunday said that the BJP-led government in centre was ignoring issues such as the alleged Ram Mandir donation 'theft', which "hurts" the sentiments of devotees.
"FIRs are being filed on MPs, but the government forgets that when donations are stolen, it also hurts the sentiments of devotees," Khera said.
The controversy centres on a demonstration where Purnia MP Pappu Yadav, dressed in saffron robes as a temple priest, and fellow opposition MPs enacted a skit involving a collection box and allegations of corruption.
The performance prompted BJP leaders, including Bansuri Swaraj and several MLAs, to file formal police complaints in New Delhi, accusing the leaders of outraging Hindu religious sentiments. A separate FIR has also been registered in Varanasi following a complaint by a religious leader. Another police complaint has been lodged against Pappu Yadav by petitioner Surya Maithil at Jehangirpuri Police Station in the national capital.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi's remarks on delimitation, Khera said the statement made by the LoP Lok Sabha in Tamil Nadu was "absolutely correct".
"All those who are concerned about their states should oppose delimitation," Khera said.
Amid the buzz over the Delimitation Bill being brought back in Parliament, Gandhi had sharply criticised those in support of the Bill, characterising delimitation as a conspiracy to disenfranchise the people of Tamil Nadu and strip the State of its political power.
Addressing reporters, the Congress MP argued that the process is designed to weaken Tamil Nadu and calls upon all political parties, both regional and national, to defeat the bill in the House.
"There is an attempt by the BJP to carry out delimitation. Delimitation is designed to disenfranchise people and take away the political power of the people of Tamil Nadu. This is a BJP conspiracy...Anyone who supports delimitation is betraying Tamil Nadu, betraying the future of Tamil Nadu, and allowing the RSS and BJP to attack the people of Tamil Nadu and its future," he told reporters.