The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and opposition including Congress and Aam Aadmi Party traded barbs on Monday over Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark during the concluding ceremony of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai. On Sunday, addressing the event, Rahul said that Congress and other parties were fighting against Shakti (power). 


Maharashtra BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule slammed the Congress MP for his statement saying, "Hindu Dharma is such a 'Shakti' that can bring the world together...The way Rahul Gandhi has spoken about PM Modi & Hindu Dharma, the people will not spare him."


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BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also hit back at Rahul accusing him of expressing "misogynistic" views. 


"A series of INDI alliance members have said that Hindu Dharma is fraud. Ramcharitmanas is potassium cyanide. Congress Party has a long history of Hindu hatred, from denying the existence of Lord Ram to making the statement about Shakti. The statement from Rahul Gandhi in front of Uddhav Thackeray shows to what extent they can fall," he said. 


"Today, this is not just an insult to the Hindu faith but shows the misogynistic mindset of Rahul Gandhi, who is against NariShakti and its manifestation," he said. 


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Opposition Reacts


Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Minister Gopal Rai said, "On one side BJP is fighting elections to establish a dictatorship in the country, and on the other side, INDIA alliance is fighting against this." 


"The way people raised their voices against this dictatorship in Mumbai yesterday, I think the country, INDIA alliance, and democracy are going to win the elections...," he added. 


Meanwhile, Congress leader Udit Raj said, "This has become the issue of the country. 'Raja ki jaan EVM, ED, CBI, IT mein'. People are getting scared because of ED and CBI and are either leaving politics or joining BJP." 


"The same applies to businessmen as well...We have been fighting against the issue of EVMs for a very long time...," he added.