Mallikarjun Kharge's 'Shiva Vs Ram' Remark In Chhattisgarh Stirs Row, BJP Leader Reacts

A political row erupted after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s “Ram Vs Shiva” remark during a poll rally in Chhattisgarh. Campaigning for Congress candidate from Janjgir-Champa Lok Sabha seat, Shivakumar Dahariya, Kharge compared ‘Shiva’ in his name to Lord Ram. “Ye Ram ka muqabla kar sakta hai kyunki ye Shiv hain (He can give tough fight to Lord Ram because he is Shiv),” the Congress president said.

Kharge further warned the BJP to not “lure people with religious talks” in an apparent jibe to Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

“This candidate is Shivkumar Dahariya. His name is Shivkumar – barabar ye Ram ka muqabla kar sakta hai kyunki ye Shiv hai. I am Mallikarjun. Main bhi Shiv hoon…Don’t lure people through religious talks. People are clever,” he said.

The remark, however, did not go well with the BJP. Party national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took to microblogging site X and accused “anti-Hindu” Congress of “dividing our Bhagwan (Gods)”.

“After attacking Sanatan, Shakti, Ram and Ram Mandir now Anti Hindu Congress which always wants to divide & rule – intends of dividing even our Bhagwan,” he said.

The BJP leader further claimed that Congress could resort to “dividing Hindus” just to “unite its Muslim vote bank”.

“Caste, language, then dividing on other grounds – if that wasn’t enough so now Ram vs Shiva ! Meanwhile they say Muslim votebank must unite but they divide Hindus. Anti Hindu Congress,” he said.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla further accused the Congress party of going to the extent of “Ram Virodh” while pushing their agenda of “Modi Virodh”.

“Congress has a long history of divide and rule in its DNA. They have divided Hindu society on caste, linguistics and other lines now also they are trying to divide but today they have crossed all limits and they want to even divide our gods.

They are saying they will do Shiva versus Ram. Will they say this about any other religion? And in ‘Modi virodh’ now they have gone to the extent of such ‘Ram Virodh’ that sometimes they say Ram does not exist, they oppose Ram Temple,” he said.

The BJP leader further slammed the Congress party for calling “Surya Tilak” of Lord Ram a “pakhand”.

“They say ‘Surya tilak’ of Shree Ram is ‘pakhand’, they abuse Ramcharitmanas, they abuse ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and today they are saying we will fight Ram and Shiva will fight Ram. This shows the mindset of Congress. ‘Sanatan Samapti’ is said by their ally, Khargeji’s son says ‘Sanatana is a disease’ even Khargeji has said that ‘Sanatana will come if Modi wins’ so this Sanatana Virodhi, Hindu Virodhi Ram Virodhi face of Congress party has once again come to the fore,” he added.

Seven Lok Sabha seats of Chhattisgarh – Sarguja, Raigarh, Janjgir-Champa, Korba, Bilaspur, Durg and Raipur – will go to polls in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 7.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.