Embarrassing faux paus for Congress ahead of the Gujarat elections.
On Wednesday, there was a lot of hue and cry when it emerged that Rahul Gandhi’s name had turned up in a register meant for non-Hindus at the Somnath temple. As a rule, any non-Hindu entering the premises have to mention their name in a register.
So, when a picture went viral on social media showing Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel’s name in a list of that register, Twitter was up in arms, wondering if the Congress vice-president had declared he was a non-Hindu.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, tweeted, “Finally Rahul Gandhi comes clean on his religion, signs visitor register in Somnath (as per rule) meant for non-Hindus. If he isn’t a Hindu by faith, let alone a practising one, then why has he been fooling people with these temple visits’”.
He also tweeted: “Ambassador Meera Shankar, UPA’s representative in US, had referred to Sonia Gandhi as a Christian leader. The reference was soon deleted. Now Rahul Gandhi declares he is a non-Hindu but their election affidavits claim that they are Hindus. Gandhis lying about their faith."
Now the funny thing is, it would appear that Rahul Gandhi hadn’t written his own name. The words written are Rahul Gandhi ji, which would be a rather bizarre way to write one’s own name.
Zee Hindustan Channel Head and editor tweeted, “Jai Somnath! During @INCIndia Vice President @OfficeOfRG visit to Somnath Temple, his media coordinator Manoj Tyagi mentioned Rahul Gandhi name along with @ahmedpatel into the spl register maintained for Non-Hindus who are visiting the temple. Major goof up in the election season.”
Meanwhile, Congress’ media coordinator Manoj Tyagi issued a statement, "I entered just my name in the register to take media personnel inside the Somanth Temple. Neither Rahul Gandhi's nor Ahmed Patel's names were there in the register then. These would have been added later."
AICC communication convener Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote on Twitter, "Dear Modi and Shah, use your clout in Somnath Temple as trustees to run it professionally not politically. Shame on your lies BJP. Desperate times call for desperate measures?"
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also joined the debate asking Rahul Gandhi to answer: “Why should there be a secretive air around Rahul Gandhi? He is one of the most important political person in Indian scenario. For Rahul Gandhi and Congress, religion is a matter of convenience and not devotion. Rahul Gandhi must answer this.”
He added: “They say this is a conspiracy, but we say Congress is a conspiracy. The tip of the iceberg of their conspiracy is visible today. There is no conspiracy by anyone. You are a sinner, sin is yours. Rahul Gandhi must say who he actually is.”
Rahul Gandhi had offered prayers at the Somnath Temple earlier this afternoon, PM Modi addressed a public rally at Prachi, about 25 km from the temple where he said: “Had Sardar Patel not been there, there would not have been this grand temple in Somnath. So there a people who visited the Somnath Temple recently [Rahul Gandhi and Congress], I want to ask them: Do you know history’ Your family members, our first prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there,’ he said.
‘When Dr Rajendra Prasad was to come to inaugurate the Somnath Temple, Pandit Nehru expressed his displeasure on that,’ the prime minister added.
We guess the Somnath Temple will continue to haunt the Nehru-Gandhi family in one form or another.
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