BELAGAVI: Union Minister for Skill Development Ananthkumar Hegde found himself at the center of another controversy following remarks he made against All India Congress Committee President Rahul Gandhi here on Sunday.
Attacking the party scion over his temple “run” in the State, Ananthkumar said Rahul had visited temples wearing ‘kaavi’ clothes, visited mutts wearing ‘rudrakshi’, mosques wearing chicken feathers and churches wearing a cross. “He should now go to Shravanabelagola,” he said, hinting at the practice of Jain Digambaras, who reject all worldly possessions including clothes.
He was speaking while campaigning at Thigadolli village of Kittur taluk, on Sunday.“BJP has never used religion for political purposes,” he said, accusing Rahul of remembering that he was a Hindu only ahead of elections. “That is why he is visiting temples and mutts, even though he doesn’t know how to drink ‘theertha’ offered in temples,” he said.
“Since someone told him, he went to the temple wearing ‘kaavi’ clothes. Went to mutts wearing rudrakshi and went to mosque with chicken feathers. He wore a cross on his neck before going to a church. His job is to perform such drama,” he said, asking Rahul to visit Shravanabelagola – one of the important centres of Jain pilgrimage.
Theatre company
He went on to say the Congress was a theatre company, which ruled the country for 70 years. “This company should not exist in the country, as India will have no future as long as Congress exists. To loot and insult religions is their only job,” he said.