‘If Rahul Gandhi Is Lord Ram, Congress Leaders Should Roam Around Naked’: BJP MP

Reacting to Salman Khurshid comparing Rahul Gandhi to Lord Ram as he roamed around in a T-shirt on a chilly Monday morning, BJP MP Dushyant Gautam said Congress leaders should roam naked with him.

Rahul Gandhi at the memorial of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on Monday (left); file photo of Dushyant Gautam

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dushyant Gautam on Tuesday reacted to Congress leader Salman Khurshid comparing Rahul Gandhi to Lord Ram, saying that if he is indeed so, then Congress leaders should also roam around naked. 

“If he [Rahul Gandhi] is Shri Ram's avatar, then he should tell his 'sena' [Congress workers and leaders] what he eats that he doesn't feel cold. Why doesn't his 'sena' roam without clothes? Congress leaders should roam naked as Lord Ram's 'sena' did,” Gautam said.

Salman Khurshid had said on Monday that while people were freezing in the chilly conditions that’s sweeping over north India for the past few days, Rahul Gandhi was moving around in just a T-shirt. Photos of Rahul Gandhi paying tributes at the memorials of Mahatma Gandhi, former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Chaudhary Charan Singh, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and former Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram in Delhi wearing only a trouser and a T-shirt went viral. He did not have any warm clothes on him in the cold Delhi weather. 

Khurshid said: “Rahul Gandhi is superhuman. While we are freezing in cold & wearing jackets, he is going out in T-Shirts (for his Bharat Jodo yatra). He is like a yogi doing his 'tapasya' with focus.” 

Comparing Rahul Gandhi to Lord Ram Khurshid said: “Lord Ram's 'khadau' [wooden slippers] goes very far. Sometimes when Ram ji is not able to reach, Bharat takes the 'khadau' and goes to places. Like that, we have carried the 'khadau' in UP. Now that 'khadau' has reached UP, Ram ji (Rahul Gandhi) will also come.” 

Khurshid comments sparked angry comments from BJP leaders, among whom was Dushyant Gautam. He said: “This shows that Congress doesn’t distribute the prasaad. They keep everything for themselves.” “Kaunsa prasaad hai jiske karan thand nahi lagti hai, apni maa ko bhi bataana chahiye, apni behen ko bhi bataana chahiye. Itne saare kapdo pe paise kyun kharch karte hain wo? [He should tell his mother and siter what prasaad he takes that he doesn’t feel cold. Why are they spending so much money on clothes?], ”Gautam said. 

BJP leader Shehzaad Poonawala on Monday also slammed Khurshid for the comparison. He said that the Congress earlier denied the existence of Lord Ram and was now comparing Rahul Gandhi to him. He even dared Khurshid to compare Rahul Gandhi with the Gods of other religions.

“Salman Khurshid equates Rahul Gandhi to Bhagwan Shri Ram, himself to Bharat!! Shocking! Would he dare compare anyone to other God of other religions? After denying Ram ji existence, blocking Ram Mandir now insult of Hindu Astha! Does Janeudhari Rahul agree with this,” he sought to ask.