'Rahul Gandhi Hurt Soul Of Mother India': UP CM Adityanath Demands Apology From LoP For Lok Sabha Remarks

Uttar Pradesh CM Adityanath demanded an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of hurting Hindu sentiments. He also accused Gandhi of attempting to defame Ayodhya and UP.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday demanded an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of hurting the sentiments of Hindus and the "soul of Mother India". This followed Gandhi's contentious remarks during his maiden speech as the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, where he claimed that the leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are not true Hindus due to their engagement in violence and hate.

The speech sparked a furore among the treasury benches, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing Gandhi of labelling the entire Hindu community as violent. Adityanath, expressing his outrage in a post on X (formerly Twitter) in Hindi, stated, "Hindu is the soul of India. Hindu is synonymous with tolerance, generosity, and gratitude. We are proud that we are Hindus!"

Adityanath further questioned, "How will the 'prince' of the group that calls itself 'accidental Hindus' and indulges in politics of Muslim appeasement understand this? You should apologise to crores of Hindus of the world, Rahul ji! Today you have not hurt a community but the soul of Mother India."

'Rahul Gandhi's Remarks A Bundle Of Lies': UP CM Adityanath Slams LoP Over Ayodhya Claims

Addressing the media later, Adityanath accused Gandhi of attempting to defame Uttar Pradesh and Ayodhya. "Rahul's false statement given in the House is extremely condemnable and shameful," he said.

The Chief Minister highlighted the government's efforts to restore Ayodhya's identity and claimed that the Congress party could not appreciate these developments. "Everyone knows who has deprived Ayodhya of its identity. People associated with the INDI alliance are responsible for it... Today, when Ayodhya is re-establishing its glory and attracting the entire world, how can the Congress consider it as good? Rahul Gandhi's remarks are a bundle of lies."

Countering Gandhi's claims on compensation for the people of Ayodhya, Adityanath stated, "The truth is that Rs 1,733 crore has been made available to the people of Ayodhya only for compensation. Be it Rampath, Bhaktipath, Janmabhoomi Path, or airport, those whose land, shops, and houses were included in these projects have been given compensation." He added that the state government had also constructed multi-level shopping complexes for those whose establishments were demolished for development.

In his speech, Gandhi had criticised the BJP, asserting that Hinduism is not about spreading fear, hatred, and falsehoods. His remarks were made during a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address to a joint sitting of Parliament. Prime Minister Modi, intervening during Gandhi's speech, underscored the gravity of calling the entire Hindu society violent. However, Gandhi retorted, clarifying that the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) do not represent the entire Hindu society.

The Congress leader further emphasised the teachings of all religions, including Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, highlighting their focus on fearlessness and courage.