Party general secretary Digvijay Singh referred to a media report, which had quoted Modi as saying that those who clean toilets get spiritual pleasure in doing it, while Union Minister Rajiv Shukla said Modi is "not a Hindu leader" but is being projected as such to "mislead" Hindus and garner votes.
"BJP goes silent on whatever Narendra Modi says and begins supporting him. Jairam Ramesh had once said toilets should be made first in villages before temples. BJP had then immediately criticised Ramesh and demanded that he seek an apology from the nation.
Singh, who is a known detractor of Modi, said he had seen an article in which "Modi had said people who clean toilets get spiritual pleasure in cleaning it. I want to ask him, had he ever experienced the pleasure and cleaned the toilet?"
"I am known to be a Hindutva leader. My image does not permit to say so, but I dare to say. My real thought is 'Pehle shauchalaya, phir devalaya' (toilet first, temple later)," he said.