INDI Alliance's Victory in Ayodhya Ruined Ram Temple Movement: Rahul Gandhi

Ahmedabad: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said by defeating the BJP in Ayodhya, the INDI Alliance has ruined the Ram temple movement once led by LK Advani, and expressed confidence that the saffron party will meet the same fate in Gujarat in the next election. He said the Congress has been challenged and threatened by the BJP, but it will defeat the saffron party and Narendra Modi in Gujarat just the way it was defeated in Ayodhya. 

Gandhi targeted the Prime Minister over the BJP's defeat from the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, where Ayodhya is located. Congress will defeat BJP in Gujarat because the "balloon of Modi's vision has burst", he added.

BJP Will Not Be Able To Stand In Front Of People Of Gujarat: Rahul Gandhi

He said that the PM believes that everyone is biological like the people of Gujarat, Gandhiji, farmers and labourers of India while Narendra Modi is non-biological. He also claimed that if the people of Gujarat fight without getting scared, the BJP will not be able to stand in front of them.

"That is why, PM Modi did not contest from Ayodhya and opted Varanasi. In Varanasi, we made a few mistakes, or else we should have defeated him there as well," he confronted.

Gandhi said that the people of Ayodhya were angry with Modi because he did not pay them compensation for their land, shops, and houses.

"The Ayodhya MP told me that farmers whose land was taken for the construction of the international airport at Ayodhya have not received the right compensation till date. People felt angry when they found not a single person from Ayodhya was present at the Ram Mandir inauguration," he said.

While Adani and Ambani were seen at the Ram temple consecration ceremony, no poor person was invited there, he also added.

Gandhi said Congress' 'hand' symbol is found in every religion. Look at the photos of Guru Nanak, Mahavir, and Buddha. Even in Islam, they use it as a gesture to seek blessings. Look at the photo of Lord Shiva and you will find it there. It means 'Daro mat, darao mat' (Don't be scared, don't scare anyone).

Talking about the party, he said, “In Congress, unlike BJP, party workers are not scared of expressing their opinions. Neither our workers are afraid of speaking their heart out, nor are we scared of listening to them. In the BJP, the entire leadership team does not like Narendra Modi. But they lack courage...are scared. If a leader like Modi was in Congress, the entire party would have stood against him. But their workers lack courage".

On the shortcomings in the Congress, he said, "A party worker put it very well, saying that there are two kinds of horses - one for races and another to be used during weddings. Sometimes Congress deploys horses meant for race in weddings, and vice versa. He asked me to stop this. We have to do this in Gujarat." He said the party did not contest the 2022 assembly election in Gujarat properly, and in 2017 only three months of campaigning took Congress near the finish line.

"In three years, we will leave the finish line far behind. If 50 per cent of party workers who believe (that we can defeat BJP after 30 years) change the mind of the other 50 per cent who do not believe, then we will form a government here (Gujarat)," he said.