Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressing the Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally in BR Ambedkar's hometown Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressing the Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally in BR Ambedkar's hometown Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. (Photo| PTI)

'Will poverty end by taking dip in Ganga?': Kharge slams BJP leaders for 'exploiting poor in name of religion'; party reacts

Addressing the 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally in Madhya Pradesh's Mhow, Mallikarjun Kharge said BJP leaders kept taking dips in Ganga till it appeared good on camera.
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MHOW: Hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a dip at the Triveni Sangam, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday asked if poverty could be ended by taking a dip in the Ganga, alleging that BJP leaders were competing to take a dip for the cameras.

Addressing the 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally in this Madhya Pradesh town, Kharge said BJP leaders kept taking dips till it appeared good on camera, even as he asserted that was not questioning anyone's faith.

He also extended his apology if anyone was hurt by his comment.

"Don't fall into the trap of false promises of (Narendra) Modi. Is poverty ended by taking a dip in the Ganga? Does it fill your stomach? I don't want to question anyone's 'aastha (faith)'. If anyone feels bad, I apologise," Kharge said.

"But tell me, when a child is dying of hunger, is not going to school, labourers are not getting their dues, at such a time, these people are spending thousands of rupees and competing for taking dips (in the Ganga)," the Congress chief said.

They keep taking dips till it appears good on the camera, he said.

"Such people cannot benefit the country. Our faith is in God -- people perform 'puja' at home every day, all women move out of their homes after performing 'puja', there is no issue. But we have an issue with the poor being exploited in the name of religion," Kharge said.

His remarks came hours after Shah took a dip at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj amid the ongoing Maha Kumbh.

Flanked by some top seers, Shah took the dip around 1 pm.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also took a dip separately.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressing the Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally in BR Ambedkar's hometown Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
Dalits, tribals, poor are once again being made slaves: Rahul Gandhi at 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally

The home minister also held an interaction with Junapithadheeshwar Mahamandaleshwar Acharya Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj and some other top seers aboard a cottage on a floating jetty.

Shah's visit was marked by unprecedented security cover in the mela area and Prayagraj.

During the Mhow rally, Kharge also took a swipe at Shah's remarks in the Rajya Sabha that had created a furore during the Winter Session.

"'Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai -- Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion these days to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they had taken God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven)'," Shah had said in a jibe at the opposition.

Referring to the remarks, Kharge slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah, saying, "They have committed so many sins that they cannot go to 'swarg (heaven)' in 100 lives."

The BJP slammed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his comments calling his remarks anti-Sanatan and asking Rahul and Sonia Gandhi to apologise.

BJP MP and its national spokesperson Sambit Patra lashed out at Kharge and accused him of making a "mockery" of people's reverence for the Maha Kumbh which, he said, has been a symbol of the Sanatan faith for thousands of years.

Crores of people are hurt with Kharge's comments about 'Ganga maiya' (mother Ganga), he said.

"Such remarks against Sanatan is shameful," Patra told reporters here.

The Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi should give an explanation as to how the party can harbour "such anti-Sanatan thought", he said.

"For such comments, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the entire country and every person who believes in Sanatan," he added.

The BJP leader said the country is watching that on one hand Home Minister Amit Shah takes a holy dip at the Sangam, while on the other there are people from the Congress who "make fun of this faith" and pass commenton "against Sanatan".

Patra dared the Congress chief, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi to make such comments against other religions.

"Can you ask if poverty is eradicated by participating in the Iftar party?" the BJP leader asked.

BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said the remarks were Kharge's but the words the Gandhi family's.

"Why does the Congress hate Hindus so much?" he asked.

Malviya said the Congress leaders have become so agitated on the Maha Kumbh that they are "cursing the Hindus".

"First Congress' Hussain Dalvi spoke ill of the Kumbh, and now the Congress president himself has opened a front," he said in a post on X "The Congress has now become the new Muslim League.

This party has become a problem for the country.

Its extinction is in everyone's interest," he added.

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