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Reaching out to the majority community in poll-bound Gujarat, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday invoked Lord Ram and Lord Krishna on a day posters calling him "anti-Hindu" surfaced and promised that if elected, the AAP government will bear the expenses of people who want to visit the Ayodhya temple for darshan.
The Aam Aadmi Party national convener also said he was born on Janmashtami and God has given him a special task to finish off "descendants" of demon Kans.
Kejriwal's remarks came against the backdrop of a video clip purportedly showing Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam at an event where hundreds took a pledge to convert to Buddhism while denouncing Hindu deities went viral. The Bharatiya Janata Party has mounted an attack on AAP, though Gautam has accused the saffron party of spreading rumours and propaganda.
The controversy escalated as Kejriwal's 'Tiranga Yatra' cum roadshow in Vadodara city was opposed by BJP workers in the evening who shouted 'Modi, Modi' and waved black flags at him in various localities.
The yatra, scheduled to start at 4:30 pm from the Nyay Mandir area, was delayed by almost two hours as workers of BJP and AAP came face to face and arguments ensued. Some posters of AAP were torn.
Addressing the yatra from an open truck in the Nyay Mandir area, Kejriwal said he was a "staunch devotee of Lord Hanuman" and claimed the posters have used words that are insulting to God.
Referring to the posters terming him "anti-Hindu" and showing him wearing a skull cap surfaced in at least four cities in Gujarat, the Delhi chief minister said the 'Asuri' (demonic) powers are united against him who are the sons of Kans. "They insult God and his devotees and indulge in hooliganism and violence".
The AAP leader and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann are on a two-day visit to the poll-bound state, where elections are due in December this year.
Along with Kejriwal's pictures, some banners carried lines like "I consider Hindu religion as madness", while some others displayed an "anti-Hindu Kejriwal go back" message.
"I would like to tell them that I was born on Krishna Janmashtami. And God has sent me with a special task-- to finish off these descendants of Kansa, to rid the public of corrupt people and hooligans," the AAP leader said and shouted "Jai Shri Ram" and "Jai Shri Krishna".
Kejriwal claimed the posters and hoardings were put up against him as soon as he planned to visit Gujarat.
"The words used in these posters were against God. They have insulted God. Whosoever is behind these posters have become so blind in their hatred for me that they did not even spare God and used abusive words against Him," he alleged.
Kejriwal said he is a staunch devotee of Lord Hanuman.
Ahead of the 'Tiranga Yatra', Vadodara city BJP president Vijay Shah had said the party will oppose the rally.
"It is for them (AAP) to decide whether to take out the rally amid the environment of opposition due to their anti-Hindu mindset. People are strongly opposing the programme, so they should not dare to carry out political campaigning," he said.
At Dahod, Kejriwal said if voted to power in Gujarat, the AAP government will bear the entire expenses of people who want to visit Ayodhya for Lord Ram's darshan.
He said the Delhi government headed by him has launched a similar scheme wherein devotees of Lord Ram are taken to Ayodhya for free in a special train.
"Lord Shri Ram's temple in Ayodhya will get ready next year. Who all want to visit the temple? All of you want to do so. But the trip, stay, food and lodging is very costly, isn't it? And if you take your entire family, then it costs a lot," he said.
If we form a government in Gujarat, we will take you for a free darshan of Ayodhyaji, he said.
"In Delhi, a special train leaves with Ram Bhakts. People's travel, food and lodging are free of cost. They are picked up from their homes and dropped back after the trip, he said.
The AAP leader reiterated his party's commitment to providing a daily allowance of Rs 40 for the upkeep of cows if it comes to power in Gujarat.
Targetting the BJP and Congress without taking names, Kejriwal said these parties abuse him and question why he provides free 'revadi' to people.
"The BJP and Congress are against freebies because they will have nothing to loot if such measures are implemented by AAP," he alleged.
Kejriwal claimed that the Gujarat chief minister gets 5,000 units of electricity free.
"If any leader says it (welfare) should not be free or (providing anything for) free is wrong, then that leader is a crook," he said without taking any names.