After Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi broke his silence on Somnath temple controversy and said he and his family members are devotees of Lord Shiva, the Congress trained guns on BJP chief Amit Shah and said although Shah is a Jain, he calls himself a Hindu.
According to ANI, Congress leader Raj Babbar said, "Amit Shah calls himself a Hindu, but he is a Jain. As far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned, Shiv bhakti is being practiced in his home since a long time. Indira Gandhi used to wear rudraksha,which was only worn by those who worship Shiva."
A war of words had erupted after Rahul Gandhi's name had appeared as 'non-Hindu' in the special register for non-Hindus visiting Somnath temple in poll-bound Gujarat. The controversy began when party's media coordinator Manoj Tyagi allegedly entered names of Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Ahmed Patel in the register. As per the tradition of the temple, non-Hindus have to enter their names in the register.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala offered a clarification saying Tyagi was told to sign so that others accompanying Gandhi could also have the darshan. The names, according to him, were added later on by someone. Surjewala asserted that Gandhi is a Hindu and a Shiv bhakt.
Meanwhile, reacting to the entire controversy, Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a gathering of his party leaders, said religion is a personal affair and should be kept personal.
"My grandmother (Indira Gandhi) used to worship Lord Shiva and my entire family does the same. But, we keep such things private; we normally don't talk about it. We believe that our religion is a personal thing and don't want to trade on Lord Shiva's name. We don't want to make political use of it," he said, according to ANI.
READ MORE: The Somnath sentiment and Hindutva politics
Prime Minister Naredra Modi too had recently attacked the Congress scion saying it is indeed puzzling to see certain Congress leaders visit the Somnath temple when their own family members opposed the construction of a grand temple as envisioned by Sardar Patel.
(With ANI inputs)
