On a day Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a dip at the Triveni Sangam, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were competing for the cameras and asked if poverty could be removed by such an act.
He also claimed that Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would 'never go to heaven even in a hundred lives' as they had committed many sins, prompting the BJP to accuse him of being 'anti-Sanatan' for his remark on holy dips.
The saffron party also demanded that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi apologise to 'every Sanatani' for Kharge's remarks.
Addressing the 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, Kharge said BJP leaders kept taking dips in the Ganga until it appeared good on the cameras.
He also said he was not questioning anyone's faith and extended his apology if he hurt anyone with his comment.
"Don't fall into the trap of false promises of (Narendra) Modi. Is poverty ended by taking a dip in the Ganga? Does it fill your stomach? I don't want to question anyone's 'aastha (faith)'. If anyone feels bad, I apologise," Kharge said.
"But tell me, when a child is dying of hunger, is not going to school, labourers are not getting their dues, at such a time, these people are spending thousands of rupees and competing for taking dips (in the Ganga)," the Congress chief said.
They keep taking dips till it appears good on the camera, he said.
"Such people cannot benefit the country. Our faith is in God -- people perform 'puja' at home every day, all women move out of their homes after performing 'puja', there is no issue. But we have an issue with the poor being exploited in the name of religion," Kharge said.
He also took a swipe at Shah's remarks on Ambedkar in the Rajya Sabha.
Kharge said, "This is their mindset. This is their respect to Babasaheb Ambedkar. So beware them. Those people want to wipe us out Do you want to live or get wiped out? If you want to stay alive, then fight. If you fight, people like Amit Shah will run away."
"Babasaheb, who gave the Constitution, fought for the people and saved them, it (BJP) says -- 'Ambedkar, Ambedkar kitni baar bolte ho, itni baar bhagwan ka naam lete toh aap saat janam tak swarg mein jaate (Had they taken God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven for seven lives)'," the Congress chief said, referring to Shah's remarks in the Rajya Sabha during a debate on the Constitution last month.
"'Arre tum toh itna paap kiye ho. Modi ji aur Shah milke itna paap kiye hain woh saat janam kya sau janam mein bhi swarg mein nahi ja sakte. Kabhi nahi Aur logon ke shrap se inhe narak hi milega (Modi and Amit Shah have committed so many sins that they cannot go to heaven even in 100 lives. Never. They will get hell due to people's curse)'," Kharge said.
His remarks came hours after Shah took a dip at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj amid the ongoing Maha Kumbh. Flanked by some top seers, Shah took the dip around 1 pm. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also took a dip separately.
Reacting to Kharge's comments, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra accused him of making a 'mockery' of people's reverence for the Maha Kumbh, which he described as a symbol of 'Sanatan' faith for thousands of years.
Crores of people are hurt by Kharge's comments about 'Ganga maiya (mother Ganga)', he claimed.
"Such remarks against Sanatan is shameful," Patra, a BJP Lok Sabha MP, told reporters.
The Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi should give an 'explanation' on how 'such anti-Sanatan thoughts' can be there in the party, he demanded.
"Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the entire country and every person who believes in Sanatan for these comments," he added.
Patra also dared Kharge as well as former Congress presidents Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi to make such comments against other faiths.
"Can you ask if poverty is eradicated by participating in 'iftar' parties?" the BJP leader asked Kharge and other Congress leaders.
Slamming the Congress chief over his remarks, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said though it was Kharge who was speaking, the words he used were of the Gandhi family.
"Why does the Congress hate Hindus so much?" he asked.
"The Congress has now become the new Muslim League. This party has become a problem for the country. Its extinction is in everyone's interest," the BJP leader said.
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