'Those With Shorts Will Only Look At T-Shirt': Cong Hits Back At BJP After Dig On Rahul Gandhi

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Congress leader Pawan Khera employed "shorts" barbs to hit back at the BJP which made an issue out of the price of Rahul Gandhi's T-shirt.

New Delhi: The Congress hit back at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its 'T-shirt' jibe at Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi with statements employing "shorts" barb in a reference to the BJP's ideological parent the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday said that the Congress is engaged in uniting the country while the ruling party is still entrapped thinking of T-shirts and khaki shorts.

"This is pitiable. The Centre has only a 'T-shirt' against the biggest Bharat Jodo Yatra being held from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. In the world's largest democracy, when one party is uniting the country, the party that is dividing still is clinging to T-shirts and khaki shorts," Baghel wrote on Twitter in Hindi.

"The ones with shorts will only look at the T-shirt," jibed Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera.

Earlier, the Congress party alleged that the BJP was intimidated seeing the public participation in the Bharat Jodo Yatra: "Talk about issues, talk about inflation and unemployment. If we have to discuss clothes, then Modi Ji's suit costing 10 lakhs and glasses worth 1.5 lakhs will also be talked about. Do you want it to go there?"

On the third day of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', the BJP attacked the Congress on social media, claiming that Rahul Gandhi, who has been raising the issue of inflation, was wearing a T-shirt worth Rs 41,257 on Friday. 

More On It: 'Bharat, Dekho': BJP Takes On Rahul Gandhi Over His Rs 41,000 Burberry T-Shirt

Addressing a press conference in Tamil Nadu, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is against the damage and hatred that BJP's ideology has caused to this country.

He emphasised that 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is an attempt to understand what is happening on the ground and "undo the damage done by BJP-RSS."

"For us, this yatra is to connect with the people. We have taken out this yatra against the damage and hatred that BJP's ideology has caused to this country": the former Congress president said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

"BJP-RSS free to have opinions, but for us this 'Yatra' is about connecting with people," he stated, as per news agency PTI.

Hitting out at the Modi government, he alleged: "All institutions are now in control of BJP and are being used to put pressure on Opposition, the fight is no more between political parties."

In response to a question, the Wayanad MP said that he was "not leading" the yatra and only participating in it.

Fourth Day Of Bharat Jodo Yatra

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday began the fourth day of the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra from Mulagumoodu in Kanyakumari.

The Congress has said that its motive behind the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is to combat the divisive politics of the BJP-led Centre and to awaken the people of the country to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation, and political centralisation.

According to the party's plan, Rahul Gandhi will undertake a 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states. 

The five-month Yatra is to cover a distance of 25 km every day. It includes Padayatras, rallies, and public meetings that will be attended by the senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The Congress, which has been suffering poll debacles, is looking to rally the party rank with this yatra and gain ground for the upcoming electoral battles.

(With Agency Inputs)