Kharge's 'Jyotirling' remark hurt Hindu sentiments: BJP

Jaipur: BJP state president Madan Rathore Monday strongly condemned Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for "hurting Hindu sentiments" by likening himself to a Jyotirling.

Addressing a press conference at the party office here, Rathore said Kharge's claim of being akin to Mallikarjun — one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas—was deeply offensive to the Hindu community. "Kharge feels insulted when addressed by his name in Parliament, yet today at a public rally in Jaipur, he dared to equate himself with a Jyotirling. Hindu society will not tolerate such an affront," Rathore asserted.

The press meet was held in response to Kharge's rally earlier in the day as part of Congress's ‘Save the Constitution' campaign. Rathore dismissed this campaign as a "sham".

"The same Congress that strangled democracy by imposing the Emergency is now pretending to protect the Constitution. Whenever it suited their vote-bank politics, they broke and insulted Constitutional values," Rathore said, citing the Shah Bano case as an example of Congress's hypocrisy.

Rathore credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for truly honouring B R Ambedkar. He mentioned initiatives such as development of Panch Teerth sites associated with Ambedkar and the installation of his portrait in Parliament. "In contrast, Congress conspired to defeat Dr Ambedkar during his lifetime," Rathore added.

School education minister Madan Dilawar also launched a scathing attack on Congress, accusing it of dismissing elected govts several times and "murdering democracy".

"During the Emergency, Indira Gandhi's word became law. Today, those who dismembered the Constitution are pretending to be its protectors. It is as ironic as a cat going on a pilgrimage after devouring a hundred mice," Dilawar said.

Dilawar asserted that Congress's campaign is not about saving the Constitution but about safeguarding the Gandhi family's political existence. "The Constitution is not in danger—the Gandhi family's survival is. Rejected by the people time and again, they are now trying to mislead the nation," he said.

Referring to Kharge's claim that no Gandhi family member has held power for 30 years, Dilawar remarked, "The truth is that the public has not accepted them. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi rules the hearts of the people."

Parliamentary affairs minister Jogaram Patel also weighed in, stating that those who have historically disrespected the Constitution have no moral authority to speak in its defence. "The Gandhi family faces corruption charges, with both Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi out on bail. Congress leaders are misleading the nation merely to protect them," Patel said.