The rally took place in Kolkata.
In a rally attended by senior BJP leader and party candidate from North Kolkata, President Kovind has been described as a follower of Lord Ram. This was a Ram Navami rally which was attended by Rahul Sinha, reports Zee 24 Ghanta.
The procession was organised by Sri Sri Ram Navami Mahotsav Committee. On Friday morning, it kicked off from North Kolkata. BJP Lok Sabha candidate Rahul Sinha was seen taking part in the procession which travelled through several parts of North Kolkata Lok Sabha constituency.
In one of the tableau, it was written that we are proud that President and Prime Minister are Ram Bhakt, with a picture from Dusshera.
This comes on a day, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has criticised Ram Navami rallies in the state.
Banerjee while addressing a rally at Siliguri criticised BJP for taking out armed rallies and said they were trying to "sell religion" for political advantage. She also charged BJP for using religion as a tool to mislead the people.
With PTI inputs
1. Rahul Sinha in Ram Navami rally
)
रामनवमी रैली के जरिए लोगों से जनसंपर्क अभियान चलाया और अपने पक्ष में मतदान करने की अपील भी की। #RamNavami2019 #RamNavami #RSCampaign2019 pic.twitter.com/sZauv9Vqzc
— Chowkidar Rahul Sinha (@RahulSinhaBJP) April 13, 2019
According to Rahul Sinha, he used Ram Navami rallies to reach out to people to urge them to vote for him.
That raises the question, about how far it is right to use President's picture in a religious rally with a distinct political connotation. According to Zee 24 Ghanta, opposition has already raised their concern about it.
2. Battle for North Kolkata
)
Rahul Sinha, BJP candidate is up against sitting TMC MP Sudip Bandopadhyay who has won the seat last two times. In 2014 too, Rahul Sinha contested but lost by over 90,000 votes.
CPI(M)'s Kaninika Bose Ghosh and Congress candidate Syed Shahid Imam is also in the fray.
North Kolkata has a cosmopolitan demography with a significant Hindi-speaking population. BJP is confident that it can win this constituency this time particularly after Sudip Bandopadhyay's name getting mired in chit-fund scam.
3. Mamata criticises Ram Navami rallies
)
Hundreds of Ram Navami rallies, including some armed rallies, were taken out by BJP and VHP in various parts of West Bengal Saturday drawing sharp criticisim from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Ram Navami rallies were taken out in West Midnapore, Purulia, Jhargram, Bankura, Howrah, Kolkata and in North and South 24 Parganas districts among others, officials said.
At Kharagpur in West Midnapore, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh took out Ram Navami rallies and were seen displaying swords and maces.
"Ram Navami rallies are a part of our tradition. We are carrying arms to protect ourselves. It has nothing to do with elections. If TMC has a problem with armed rallies then they should change their thought process," Ghosh said when asked why he took out rallies with swords and maces.
Banerjee while addressing a rally at Siliguri criticised BJP for taking out armed rallies and said they were trying to "sell religion" for political advantage. She also charged BJP for using religion as a tool to mislead the people.
Kolkata Police said that no political, apolitical, religious organisations are allowed to carry out bike rallies in the city.
