Will defeat BJP in Gujarat as we defeated them in Ayodhya: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

Ahmedabad: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that Congress and its allies in INDIA bloc will defeat BJP in Gujarat assembly polls like they had defeated it in Ayodhya in the Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing party workers in Ahmedabad, Rahul Gandhi, who is Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, referred to BJP losing in Lok Sabha constituency that includes Ayodhya, and claimed that INDIA alliance had defeated the movement started by former BJP chief LK Advani.

Advani had carried out rath yatra in 1990 to mobilise support for the movement to construct a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. BJP has said that the yatra also sought to raise questions over prevailing debate concerning “secularism” and “communalism” and for rejecting “cult of minorityism”.

The BJP lost the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, which includes Ayodhya, in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls.

“Together we are going to defeat them in Gujarat. We will defeat Narendra Modi and BJP in Gujarat just like we defeated them in Ayodhya,” Rahul Gandhi said.

Referring to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ram Temple in Ayodhya in January this year, Raul Gandhi claimed that no poor person was visible at the event.

“I was wondering in the Parliament that they inaugurated the Ram Temple. Adani and Ambani were visible at the inauguration but any poor person was not seen there,” Rahul Gandhi said.

“The farmers of Ayodhya lost their land when the Airport was built. The people of Ayodhya were upset that no one from Ayodhya was invited to the inauguration of the Ram Temple... The movement which was started by Advani Ji, whose centre was Ayodhya, INDIA Alliance has defeated that movement in Ayodhya,” he said.

The Congress leader arrived in Ahmedabad earlier in the day to meet party workers and victims of the Rajkot Gaming Zone tragedy.

Members of the Bajrang Dal staged a protest against Rahul Gandhi’s remarks pertaining to Hinduism during his speech in the Lok Sabha. The protesters were detained by the Gujarat Police. Assembly polls in Gujarat will be held in 2027. (ANI)

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