Nadda targets Sonia, Rahul over Sanatan Dharma row, accuses Baghel govt of corruption

Jashpur: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda on Friday hit out at opposition alliance INDIA and claimed the agenda of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, top leaders of its key constituent Congress, was to "abuse and disrespect" Sanatan Dharma.

Addressing a rally at Jashpur in north Chhattisgarh held to flag off the second 'Parivartan Yatra' (March for Change) of the opposition BJP ahead of assembly polls, he also targeted Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and asked him to clarify his stand on anti-Sanatan Dharma remarks made by Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, whose party DMK is a member of INDIA.

He accused the Congress government of indulging in scams and said those who didn't spare 'gau mata' (cows) in corruption (referring to alleged scam in cow dung procurement scheme), will they spare people?

"Indi alliance... ghamandiya (arrogant) alliance held a meeting in Mumbai on September 1. On September 3, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin, whose party DMK is a key partner of the alliance, disrespected Sanatan Dharma by linking it with serious diseases. He left no stone unturned in disrespecting Sanatan Dharma in every way," Nadda said.

The next day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge, who is a minister in the Karnataka government, attacked Sanatan Dharma and subsequently another minister from Tamil Nadu, too, targeted the ancient faith, he said.

"What should we understand from this? Sonia Gandhi is silent till today on the issue. Rahul goes all over the world and talks about the Constitution, but avoids saying even a single word on it (Sanatan issue), said the BJP president.

"My allegation is that the mother-son duo handed over the agenda abusing and disrespecting Sanatan Dharma in the Mumbai meeting to the DMK and other parties (of INDIA). Actually, it is the agenda of Sonia and Rahul," he said, attacking the two former Congress presidents.

The BJP chief sought to know if the Constitution has given the right to anyone to disrespect a religion.

"Is it written in the Constitution that any religion, any idea, any belief should be abused or has the Constitution given the right to disrespect any religion? You (Rahul) say that you run 'mohabbat ki dukan' (shop of love), but hatred is being sold in your shop," Nadda said.

He also slammed Chief Minister Baghel, a senior Congress leader, for skipping the G20 dinner hosted by the President on September 9 in New Delhi during the summit of the influential global forum.

"The President, a woman who hails from a tribal community, had invited CM (Baghel) to G20 (dinner) but it is very unfortunate he didn't accept the invite. Is this his respect towards a President who comes from a tribal community? Is your honour bigger than the President's honour? Kharge sahab (Congress chief) didn't attend flag hoisting at the Red Fort. Will you allow such people to continue to rule your state," he said, urging people to vote out the present government in Chhattisgarh.

He said the Bhupesh Baghel government has been indulging in corruption and making false promises for the last five years.

The BJP president asked people at the rally whether or not the Baghel government had committed corruption in coal transportation, liquor, urea fertilizer, cow dung procurement scheme and other sectors to which they replied in the affirmative.

He said, "Those who didn't spare 'gau mata' (in committing corruption), will they spare you,"

The BJP's Parivartan Yatra is aimed at exposing corruption of the Baghel government and removing the Congress from power in the state, Nadda said.

"Do you allow a government to remain in office whose CM is on bail in the CD case and his personal secretary is in jail, the BJP chief asked people at the rally.

He was referring to a case of alleged circulation of a "sex CD" lodged in 2017 (when BJP was in power) being probed by the CBI and arrest of a bureaucrat in December last year by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged coal levy scam in the state.

Hailing the success of the G20 summit held in New Delhi, he said Bharat is now no more a 'pichhlaggu' (follower) of other countries.

Rather Bharat is now giving the message of marching ahead to the world under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP leader said.

In 2014, when the BJP came to power at the Centre, 92 per cent of the mobile phones (used in India) were manufactured in China, but now 97 per cent of such devices, including Apple, are being made in the country, Nadda said, highlighting achievements of the Modi government.

The BJP chief flagged off the party's second Parivartan Yatra which will cover 1,261 km distance in 13 days across districts in the Bilaspur and Surguja divisions.

On the occasion, Nadda also remembered former BJP MP and Union minister late Dilip Singh Judev, who was hailed by right-wing groups for his ghar wapsi' campaign, homecoming of tribals who converted to Christianity back to Hinduism, in the Jashpur region of Chhattisgarh.

The BJP president said "Judev ji was not only a great politician and soul, but also a great social reformer who worked for uniting people of the country. Through his ghar wapsi' campaign Judeo united society against conversion."

The former Union minister dedicated his life for truth, honesty, morality and religion, Nadda said and asked people to fulfil his wish by ousting the Congress from power in the state.

The first Parivartan Yatra, which was rolled out from Dantewada district in south Chhattisgarh on September 12, will cover a distance of 1,728 km and traverse Bastar, Durg and Raipur divisions in 16 days.

Both the Yatras will culminate in Bilaspur on the same day (not yet finalised) after covering a distance of 2,989 km across 87 assembly segments (out of the total 90). PM Modi is expected to attend the concluding function of the march, party leaders had said.

In 2018, the Congress handed a massive defeat to the BJP which had been in power for 15 years under the leadership of former Chief Minister Raman Singh. The Congress had won 68 seats and the BJP just 15.

The saffron party last month released its first list of 21 candidates in the state, where the Election Commission is yet to announce the poll schedule.