NEW DELHI: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi intensified his attack over Rahul Gandhi's "fight against a shakti” remarks, the BJP said on Tuesday that the entire country is “angry” with the Congress leader's comments against the Hindu faith and it will be a major issue in this Lok Sabha election.
The ruling party also asked if Gandhi can speak in the same "derogatory" terms against any other religion and said the people of the country would give their reply to his remarks in the upcoming elections.
“Congress is no more a party imbued with the doctrine and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. Under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, the Congress is now pursuing Maoist ideology, divisive, separatist... and anti-Hindu thoughts,” senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told a press conference at the party headquarters here.
Rahul Gandhi is completely under the sway of “these elements”, he added.
At a rally in Mumbai on Sunday, Gandhi had said, "We are not fighting against a political party...We are not fighting against Narendra Modi, nor are we fighting against one person. But, one face has been projected in the forefront."
"In Hindu dharma, there is a word 'shakti'. We are fighting against a 'shakti' (power). The question arises as to what is that 'shakti'...," he had said in the presence of several opposition leaders of the INDIA bloc.
Reacting sharply, Prasad on Tuesday vehemently condemned Gandhi's remarks. “This country is angry (over Gandhi's remarks). The country will not accept such kind of repeated insult to its faith,” the BJP leader said.
“We vehemently condemn this (Gandhi's remarks). The country will give a reply to this. We will make it a major issue in this election,” he told reporters.
Prime Minister Modi also launched yet another blistering attack over Rahul Gandhi's remarks, alleging those out to destroy "shakti" will be destroyed themselves.
Addressing a rally in Salem, Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday, he alleged constituents of the INDIA bloc would never speak ill about any other faith, but would not lose a second in abusing the Hindu religion.
Gandhi had on Monday clarified that he was not talking about any religious power but the 'shakti' of unrighteousness, corruption and falsehood.
The Congress leader had accused Prime Minister Modi of twisting his words and said he was speaking about the power of which Modi was wearing the mask.
Reacting to it, Prasad said it was not clear as to what Gandhi wanted to say in his clarification. “Denigrating and castigating Hindu gods, Hindu practices and Hindu ideals has become the biggest theme of the political campaign of the Congress these days”, the BJP leader charged.
He said Gandhi has resorted to levelling baseless allegations against the Modi government as he does not get votes.