Maharashtra Elections 2024: BJP criticises Congress President's remarks on 'Sadhus'

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. (Pic/PTI)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticised Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday for his remarks about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Poonawalla accused the Congress of having an anti-Hindu and anti-Sanatan "DNA", reported news agency ANI.

Poonawalla questioned the Congress's stance on religious figures in politics.

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"This is the true philosophy and DNA of Congress which is anti-Hindu and anti-Sanatan. Therefore, Congress is now saying that those who wear 'gerua' and saffron, the clothes of a sadhu should not come into politics but will they ever say this about Maulana and Maulvi? This is the same Congress that spoke about 'saffron terrorism', and 'Hindu terror'...they will never say such things about other faiths, it shows how Congress hurt the Hindu faith for votes of their votebank...they consider 'batoge toh katogey' as communal and vote jihad as secular," Poonawalla told ANI.

Maharashtra Elections 2024: Kharge on UP CM Yogi's 'batoge toh katoge' remark

The controversy arose after Kharge's speech at an election rally in Maharashtra on Sunday. Without naming Yogi Adityanath, Kharge criticised leaders who live in the guise of sadhus have become politicians and some even chief ministers.

Karge also criticised the UP Chief Minister for recent ‘batoge toh katoge' (If we divide, we will be cut) remark, calling for Hindu unity and accused Adityanath of spreading hatred.

"Many leaders live in the guise of sadhus and have now become politicians. Some have even become chief ministers. They wear 'gerua' clothes and have no hair on their heads...I would say to the BJP, either wear white clothes or if you are a sanyasi wear 'gerua' clothes, then get out of politics. On the one hand, you wear 'gerua' clothes and on the other hand, you say 'batoge toh katogey'...They are spreading hatred among the people and trying to divide them...," Kharge said at the ‘Samvidhan Bachao Sammelan' rally.

Further Kharge also accused the BJP-RSS of being a danger to the country.

He stated, "BJP is coming up with new slogans these days. I just want to ask is there any danger in the country? If the country is in danger, it is from BJP-RSS. Because these are the people who talk about division and killing from morning to evening. We have always tried to keep the country united. Indira Gandhi ji was martyred for keeping the country united."

The political tension and back and forth jibes between leaders are escalating as Maharashtra's Assembly elections, scheduled for November 20, draw near with vote counting on November 23.

The 288-seat contest primarily has two major alliances: the Mahayuti, composed of BJP, Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena and the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, which has Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT).

(With inputs from ANI)