Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday launched an attack on the Congress after a political row erupted over the Rafale shastra puja (worship of weapons) performed by Rajnath Singh during the handover ceremony of the fighter jet in France.

Saying the sole purpose of Congress was to oppose the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Amit Shah said the puja was performed by the Defence Minister as per Indian traditions.

Home Minister Amit Shah in Kaithal, Haryana: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performed 'Shastra Pujan' of Rafale yesterday in France. Congress did not like it. Is 'Shashtra Pujan' not performed on Vijayadashami? They should ponder over what needs to be criticised and what not. pic.twitter.com/sCH6fQy3BL ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2019

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performed shastra puja of Rafale yesterday [Tuesday] in France. "Congress did not like it. Is shastra pujan not performed on Vijayadashami? They should ponder over what needs to be criticised and what not," Amit Shah said a rally in Haryana on Wednesday.

A political row erupted after Congress hit out at Rajnath Singh for performing shastra puja on a Rafale during the handover ceremony in France.

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit accused the Narendra Modi government of saffronising the Rafale handover. "Religious context of Vijayadashami and the Rafale aircraft doesn't match. A festival that all of us celebrate, why should it be linked it with an aircraft?" Sandeep Dikshit had asked.

He was joined by new Congress entrant, Alka Lamba, who wondered what would have happened if the ceremony was done by AK Antony or APJ Abdul Kalam as per their religion. If former Defence Minister AK Antony would have been the Minister of Defence or former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had this fortune today, what would have happened had they taken Bible or Quran as per their religion like Rajnath Singh?"

She also tweeted a photo of lemons placed under the wheels of the Rafale and said, France-made Rafale has not even reached India and India has already achieved its first major success by squashing two green lemons and saved the country from the eyes of the evil."

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