Congress denied Lord Ram's existence but its leaders are now busy visiting temples: Irani

Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Smriti Irani on Wednesday said the Congress once denied the existence of Lord Ram, but its leaders are now busy visiting temples dedicated to the Hindu deity.

She said the voters of Madhya Pradesh will reject the Congress in the November 17 assembly polls.

The BJP leader made the remarks while addressing election rallies in Barahi (Katni district) and Chourai (Chhindwara district) in support of party candidates.

The Union minister said the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government, in an affidavit submitted in the Supreme Court in 2007, denied the existence of Lord Ram, but its leaders are now on a temple-hopping spree.

Irani said the Congress used to mock the BJP, asking the saffron party when the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be completed.

”We are not only constructing the (Ram) temple, but also informing you that January 22 is the date of ‘pran pratishtha’ (consecration of the deity’s idol),” she said.

The BJP leader stated that the Congress is pained by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement extending the free ration scheme for 80 crore poor people for five years.

The PM extended the scheme after seeing the positive changes it is brining in the lives of people, but the Congress is unhappy because it wants the poor to remain poor, Irani remarked.

Madhya Pradesh, which has a 230-member assembly, will vote in a single phase and counting of ballots will take place on December 3.