We are shiv bhakts but do not want to use religion for politics, says Rahul Gandhi
The Congress vice president also blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party for the controversy over his visit to Gujarat’s Somnath Temple earlier this week.
A day after a controversy broke out over his religious faith, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that he and his family members were devotees of Lord Shiva but did not want to commercialise it for political gains.
A video of Gandhi addressing traders at a closed-door meeting in Gujarat’s Amreli shows him saying that though his grandmother Indira Gandhi and his family are shiv bhakts, the family keeps such matters private and does not generally speak about it. “Because, we think it is a very personal matter and we don’t need anyone else’s certificate about it,” he said.
He added: “We do not want to commercialise this. We do not want to do dalali [deal] over it. We do not want to use it for political purposes too.”
#WATCH Congress VP Rahul Gandhi says, my grand mother was a Shiv-bhakt & so is my family. We don't talk about these things as they are personal. (Source: Amateur video) pic.twitter.com/fV8H8udRf8
— ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2017
The statement comes after Gandhi’s visit to Somnath Temple in Gujarat on Wednesday morning was mired in controversy. He visited the temple before his campaign rally in the poll-bound state. Gujarat will go to the polls on December 9 and December 14. Votes will be counted on December 18.
Soon after the visit, photos on social media showed that Gandhi had reportedly signed his name in the register meant for non-Hindus. The Congress later said the images were fake. “There is only one visitor’s book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated,” the party said, and further blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party for the controversy.
Somnath Temple authorities also clarified that Gandhi did not sign the register maintained for non-Hindus.
Reiterating the Congress’ stance on the matter, Gandhi also told the traders on Thursday that the BJP was behind the whole controversy. “I went inside the temple. Then I signed the visitors’ book. After that, BJP people wrote my name in the second book,” he said.
Gujarat Congress President Bharatsinh Solanki too said the Bharatiya Janata Party was to blame, according to PTI. “Amit Shah is a trustee of Somnath Temple,” he said. “You know what he is capable of. They have stooped to such a low level that now they want to term us non-Hindus.”