Rahul Gandhi Datia MP Photo Credit: ANI Rahul Gandhi in Datia, MP

Datia (Madhya Pradesh): Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday took potshots at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Ram Temple issue, alleging the ruling government at the Centre has misused Lord Ram’s name a lot for its benefit. Speaking in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh’s Datia, Rahul said the BJP leaders have been claiming that they will build the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, but are just not ready to say when.

"Sita mata dukhi hain, kyuki unke pati ke naam ka bohut fayda uthaya iss sarkar ne (Sita mata is sad because this government has misused her husband’s name a lot),” Gandhi said. The Congress chief’s remarks came as the Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP, increased pressure on the NDA government at the Centre to start the construction of the Ram Mandir at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

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Sanjay Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP from the Shiv Sena and executive editor of party’s mouthpiece ‘Saamaana’, has said that the Narendra Modi government should show “courage” and start the construction of the temple. He has advised the Central government to bring in an ordinance to for the same just like it has brought ordinances on the triple talaq and SC/ST Act issue in the recent past.

Meanwhile, with elections due in Madhya Pradesh next month, Rahul took aim at the BJP government at the Centre as well as in the stat over a host of issues. He slammed the Narendra Modi government over the Rafale deal issue, saying his government favoured Reliance over Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and didn’t answer any questions when asked.

“It was the HAL aircraft which helped the country during wars. The UPA, for Rs 526 crores, had given the contract to HAL, but PM Modi handed over the contract to Reliance. However, when I asked why was the contract given to Reliance, why was the price increased to Rs 1600 crore, the PM for once didn’t speak and answer,” he said, adding "chowkidar ne chori karva di (the guard has stolen what he was meant to protect)".

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“It takes Rs 35K crores to run MNREGA, and it seems that the government has only given two employment under this scheme - to Nirav Modi and to Anil Ambani.

“PM has no room in his heart for oppressed and women. He has room only for industrialists. Mehul Bhai, Nirav Bhai, Anil Bhai, Lalit Bhai, he never calls farmers and labourers 'Bhai'. Have you ever heard Modi ji calling poor 'Bhai'? Never. If he isn't in suit-boot, he isn't 'Bhai',” the Congress chief alleged.

Rahul, further, promised loan waiver to farmers in Madhya Pradesh within 10 days if the Congress government came to power in the state. “I would not make false promises to you. I'd not say that we'll give you Rs 15 lakhs. Before Karnataka, we had promised a loan waiver, and that was fulfilled immediately after we came to power. Hum apne mann ki baat nahi sunana chahte, aapke mann ki baat sunna chahte hai.”

He also took potshots over women’s safety and said, “Modi ji gave the slogan 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (Save the girl child, educate the girl child)'. We liked the slogan but then a BJP MLA raped someone. The CM tried to shield him, PM didn't expel him from the party. He never spoke about it. The actual slogan is 'Beti Padhao aur Beti ko BJP ke MLA se bachao'.”