Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Ram Temple consecration ceremony last month, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday named Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan and his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
While addressing a gathering as his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra reached Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, the Congress leader claimed that people who run the nation were kept away from the temple event but Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were in attendance.
He even claimed that no OBC or ST/SC faces were invited to the grand event.
“Did you see the ‘Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha’? Did you see any OBC or ST/SC faces? It was attended by Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Bachchan, and PM Narendra Modi, but we didn’t see the people who truly run the country. These people want to ensure that you guys can never control the country,” he said, as quoted by the new agency PTI.
Earlier on 22 January, the Ram Temple consecration ceremony was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. It was attended by thousands of celebrities, politicians, and other dignitaries, however, the Opposition skipped the event, claiming the BJP was trying to score political brownie points.
Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra:
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi’s yatra reached the historical city of Prayagraj at 4 pm on 18 February. Gandhi was flanked by UP Congress president Ajay Rai and other senior leaders.
On Monday, Gandhi will go to his former constituency Amethi, which he had lost to BJP’s Smriti Irani.
The party said that Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also accompany Rahul in Amethi.
“All preparations for Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Naya Yatra’ have been completed. Rahul Gandhi will be welcomed first in Kakwa. His Nyay Yatra will enter the Amethi border from Rampur Khas assembly constituency of Pratapgarh district,” said Anil Singh, media coordinator of Congress’ Amethi district unit.
Reacting to his yatra, UP minister Daya Shankar Singh said the Congress has accepted defeat in UP.
“Rahul Gandhi doesn’t have anything left in Uttar Pradesh anymore. Sonia Gandhi had the Raebareli seat but left it to join the Rajya Sabha. So, it seems they have accepted defeat even before the (2024 Lok Sabha) elections,” he said.
With agency inputs.
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Published: 18 Feb 2024, 08:59 PM IST