Mallikarjun Kharge’s ‘Ram vs Shiva’ remark stirs row: UP CM Yogi Adityanath says, ‘tendency of Congress to insult…’

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday slammed the Congress over party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark on Lord Ram and Lord Shiva, and accused the grand-old party of insulting the Sanatan tradition of India.Addressing a poll rally in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday in support of party candidate Shivkumar Dahariya, Kharge said: “This candidate is Shivkumar Dahariya. His name is Shivkumar – ‘barabar ye Ram ka muqabla kar sakta hai kyunki ye Shiv hai’ (He can compete with Ram because he is Shiva). I am also Mallikarjun (Main bhi Shiv hoon).” YEARS reported.

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Reacting to Kharge’s remark, Yogi Adityanath said that Ram and Shiva are not different.” Lord Ram himself worshiped Lord Shiva. Both complement each other.”

Stating that the true face of Congress is coming to the fore, the UP Chief Minister added, “It is the tendency of the Congress to insult the Sanatan tradition of India, to defame it, to play with the faith of India and the Congress President is saying the same thing in his speeches. This statement of his is extremely condemnable,” Yogi told YEARS.

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Yogi also charged Congress of venting its ‘frustration’ by mocking Sanatan Dharma. “By picking such sensitive issues during the elections, Congress is trying to insult India’s faith.”

Earlier on Tuesday, speaking at a campaign rally for BJP candidate Ram Satpute in Maharashtra’s Solapur Lok Sabha constituency, Yogi accused Congress of coining the term “Hindu terrorism”.

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“These are the same Congress people who cast doubts over the existence of Lord Ram, and these are the same people who coined the term Hindu terrorism to insult Hindus.”

The Congress has fielded Praniti Shinde, former CM Sushilkumar Shinde’s daughter, from the seat.