Accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of abusing Indians and the Parliament, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said he visits Karnataka for 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', and while in London, speaks about 'Bharat Todo' (dividing India).
Repeatedly invoking Lord Ram and Hanuman while participating in the BJP's 'Vijaya Sankalpa Yatre' here, Sarma praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, and urged the people of the state to vote the party back to power in Karnataka in the Assembly polls, likely by May.
Anjanadri in Gangavathi taluk of Koppal district is considered to be the birthplace of Lord Hanuman, and the state government has allocated Rs 120 crore for the development of the revered place.
"If Prime Minister Modi goes to London or America, he heaps praise on India, but when our Rahul baba (Rahul Gandhi) goes to London, he abuses Indians and India's Parliament," Sarma said.
Addressing a gathering here, the BJP leader said: "He (Rahul Gandhi) comes to Karnataka and does Bharat Jodo Yatra, and in London he speaks about 'Bharat Todo' (dividing India)."
Congress has repeatedly divided India, he alleged, adding that, "I had asked Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, as to who divided the country in 1947? It was your nanaji (apparently referring to Rahul's great grandfather, former PM Jawaharlal Nehru) who divided."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi too on Sunday had targeted Rahul Gandhi for his comments on democracy in the country.
He was apparently referring to Gandhi's remarks made in London recently -- that structures of Indian democracy are under "brutal attack".
More From This Section
Pointing at Congress' decimation across the country, the Assam Chief Minister said, during the recent polls held in three northeastern states of Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland, the party was once again routed.
"Congress is not to be found in most parts of the country, this is because it never worked for our development, culture. It instead always did appeasement politics and did injustice to the people," he said.
He also hailed Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government in Karnataka, for its budget, developmental programmes for the people, and hike in reservation for SC/ST communities.
State Ministers B Sriramulu and Anand Singh, among others were present along with the Assam CM during the rally.
Terming Karnataka Assembly polls as the "semifinals" and calling on people to bring back the BJP government in the state, Sarma said: "Our main aim is to win the final (Lok Sabha polls), and make Narendra Modi Prime Minister for the third time. So like the people of Gujarat, Northeast supported Modi, people of Karnataka too will bless him."
"BJP winning Karnataka, also India, and Bharat becoming Vishwa Guru is certain...," he added
Noting that if the Ram temple had to be constructed during the 'Treta Yug' in Ayodhya, Lord Hanuman would have done it, Sarma said, "In Kali Yug, Narendra Modi took up the work of building a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya."
He said Modi is today doing the same work that Lord Hanuman did in the Treta Yug for the resurrection of India's civilisational values and culture.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)