Congress Forced To Take Ram's Name, Such Is BJP's Influence: Keshav Prasad Maurya

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday said that the Congress which once used to deny the existence of Lord Ram now has to say "Jai Siyaram" and this is the "victory of BJP's ideology."  

"The Congress party which used to deny the existence of Lord Ram, has to say Jai Siyaram today. Rahul Gandhi had to visit Lord Mahakal wearing a dhoti and 'tripund,'" Maurya said during an interaction with reporters at Circuit House here. "Today, due to the change in this atmosphere, all opposition parties, including the Congress, which used to refrain from going to the temple, have started going there," he added.

Maurya also said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wouldn’t know the exact meaning of the "Jai Shri Ram.""There must be someone in his party who must be explaining the meaning of Jai Shri Ram and Jai Siyaram to him. 'Shri' in Jai Shri Ram is Mother Sita. But who will give this knowledge to Rahul Gandhi. It is an ideological victory of the BJP," he said.  

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a gathering on Friday during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Madhya Pradesh, had interpreted Jai Shri Ram and Jai Siyaram. Speaking at a rally in Agar Malwa, Rahul Gandhi had said "Jai Siya Ram" means Sita and Ram are one and that Ram fought for the honour of Sita.

"Jai Shri Ram means hailing Lord Ram, but BJP and RSS people are not leading their lives like him (Lord Ram) and not fighting for the honour of women," Gandhi had said. Maurya, continuing in the same vein, suggested that such has been his BJP’s influence, political parties have even stopped patronising Muslims by attending Iftar parties.  

"Once upon a time, these parties used to conduct photo sessions during roza-Iftar parties by wearing caps, but today these parties do not conduct such photo sessions," he said. Regarding the by-elections scheduled in the state next week, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "Lotus is going to bloom on all the three seats – Mainpuri and Rampur Lok Sabha seats, and Khatauli Vidhan Sabha seat."The way SP was rejected by the public in the by-elections of Azamgarh and Rampur, it is going to be rejected in these elections also." 

(With PTI inputs)