INDORE: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at the BJP for ridiculing his temple visits as "fancy dress Hinduism" and asked the saffron party if temples are its property. Gandhi said if he enters temple wearing a ritual dress code, the BJP terms it as "fancy dress" but when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah do so, it remains silent.

"Are temple BJP's property where I am allowed to go? I will visit (temples) whenever I want and don't need any certificate on this from them," he said. Gandhi, who is on a two-day-tour of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, said he a nationalist leader and not a "Hinduwadi".

When Rahul Gandhi visited the famous Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain on Monday, the BJP attacked him saying he was exhibiting "fancy dress Hinduism" to fool people.

The saffron party also asked Gandhi to make it clear which 'gotra' (clan) does he belong to. "After the Antony committee's report, Rahul Gandhi is exhibiting fancy dress Hinduism continuously. To mislead the Hindus, he is sporting a "janeu" (scared thread) over the shirt. We demand that 'janeudhari' Rahul Gandhi clarify to which 'gotra' (clan) does he belong to," Patra said.

Gnadhi has been portrayed as 'Shiv Bhakt' by the Congress. Barely months ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the entire spectacle is being seen as Congress' efforts to woo Hindu voters.

Voting to elect new Assembly in Madhya Pradesh will be held on November 28 and counting will take place on December 11.