'Have Courage To Speak On Other Faiths': BJP Hits Back At Rahul Gandhi Amid 'Shakti' Row

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad condemned Rahul Gandhi's recent remarks on 'Shakti,' accusing him of insulting Hindu culture.

Ravi Shankar Prasad emphasized that Gandhi's failure to rectify his statement reflects a disregard for Hindu sentiments.

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday hit back at Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on 'Shakti,' saying the Congress leader should have the courage to speak in the same derogatory terms about the fundamental principles of other faiths.

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad condemned Rahul Gandhi's recent remarks on 'Shakti,' accusing him of insulting Hindu culture. Prasad emphasized that Gandhi's failure to rectify his statement reflects a disregard for Hindu sentiments.

Addressing the media, Prasad said, "Rahul Gandhi insulted Hindu culture yesterday. We thought that he would realise his mistake. But even after a day, there have been no efforts to rectify the statement. His coterie spokespersons were looking for meaning in his remark and attempting to justify it."

#WATCH | On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says, "Rahul Gandhi insulted Hindu culture yesterday. We thought that he would realise his mistake. But even after a day, there have been no efforts to rectify the statement. His coterie… pic.twitter.com/fnx3R5ernE

— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2024

"The Congress party under Rahul Gandhi is no more the Congress party imbued with the doctrine and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. This is a Congress party led by a divisive mind, Maoist thought and anti-Hindu thought. Rahul Gandhi is completely in the sway of these elements...Rahul Gandhi, do you have the courage to speak in the same derogatory terms with regard to the fundamental principles of faith of other religious thoughts or gods?" he added.

On Monday, Gandhi defended his remarks, saying the 'Shakti' he spoke about was not religious, but the power of unrighteousness, corruption, and untruth.

“Modi ji does not like my words. He tries to twist my statements and change the meaning, because he knows that I have spoken a deep truth,” Gandhi said in a post on social platform X.

On Sunday, addressing a public gathering at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, Gandhi had raised concerns about the operation of EVMs, using the Hindi word 'Shakti' to emphasize the Opposition's struggle against the might of the state.

“There is a word 'Shakti' (might) in Hinduism. We are fighting against a Shakti (might of the state). The question is, what is that Shakti and what does it entail for us? The soul and integrity of EVMs have been traded to the King (Modi). This is a fact. Not just EVMs but every autonomous institution of the country, be it the ED, CBI or Income Tax department, have traded their spines to the Centre,” he had said on the last day of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. 

Slamming the Congress leader for his statement about "fighting against Shakti," PM Modi said, "Yesterday an announcement to destroy Shakti was made from Shivaji Park (in Mumbai). How much it must have hurt the soul of Balasaheb Thackeray... Nari Shakti ka yahi aashirvad mera sabse bada kawach hai...The people of the INDI alliance want to destroy this Shakti. They hate the increasing shakti of Maa Bharti...'Vaar' on Shakti means 'vaar' on women, daughters, Maa Bharti..."

"Attacking the 'Shakti' means attacking the power of 'Maa Bharti'. However, this 'Shakti' will annihilate terror and anarchy. The INDI alliance and Congress have challenged this 'Shakti'. However, they will receive an answer for this from the daughters and mothers of this country," he added.