Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Uttrakhand on Friday, he visited the Kedarnath temple, offered his prayings and did the Rudraabhishek before the closure of the temple for six months. Modi also addressed a huge gathering just outside the temple. During his speech, he had alleged that the UPA government in 2013 had restricted Modi from rebuilding the shrine, after the floods.
बाबा के मुख्य द्वार के सामने मंच सजाकर,पीठ दिखाकर भाषण देने वाले मोदीजी,आपने परंपरा व संस्कृति का अपमान किया है।#Kedarnath 1/n pic.twitter.com/3JlcPakgYg
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) October 20, 2017
Responding to the remark made by Modi, the Congress replied back that Narendra Modi had disrespected the traditions during his Kedarnath visit and had misled the people regarding the rebuilding of the shrine after the floods in 2013. The opposition party also claimed that he had visited the temple only with the motive of winning the upcoming polls.
Congress alleged that the Prime Minister had become arrogant by not keeping in mind the traditions of India, as he had given the speech with his back towards Lord Shiva’s shrine and wearing Italian glasses. The party also accused Modi of remembering the holy places and temples during the elections. It said that Modi remembered Ganga, only when he was contesting elections from Varanasi and had now visited Lord Shiva’s shrine ahead of Gujarat elections.
Congress communications in charge Randeep Surjewala in his statement to the press said that “Modiji has disrespected our tradition and culture by putting up a stage right outside the main entrance of Kedarnath and giving his speech with his back towards Lord Shiva.” He also reminded the Prime Minister that it was the Congress party at the centre in 2013, that had given a redevelopment package of Rs 6,000 crore for Kedarnath in 2013.
Meanwhile, as per the reports given by Congress spokesperson R P N Singh, he claimed that there is no record of Modi, the then chief minister of Gujarat, doing anything for the redevelopment of Kedarnath or for rescuing people during the flash floods that hit the state in 2013. He further added that is was very unfortunate that arrogance marked his address at Kedarnath. “When the ruler turns arrogant, then his downfall is close,” he said.
Underlining the initiatives of the then UPA government, Singh said that Modi was misleading the people by telling them that the UPA government became nervous when Modi came forward for rebuilding the shrine. Instead the UPA government in 2013 had set up a special committee for carrying out rehabilitation work and approved Rs 8,000 crore for relief, he added.
2/n बाबा के दरबार में भी झूठ।मोदीजी यह बताना भूल गए की केंद्रीय कांग्रेस सरकार ने दिसंबर2013 में 8000करोड़ का पुनर्वास पैकेज दिया#Kedarnath
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) October 20, 2017
Further attacking the claim of Modi that he had done everything to help the flood-hit areas, Singh said that the Congress government had released Rs 2,200 crore at that time only, but it has been three years that the Modi government is in power but he has not been able to release a single penny now as the Prime Minister.
The Congress spokesperson requested Narendra Modi to stop playing the politics of opportunism and not to invoke religious sentiments to win votes during Gujarat elections. He questioned that if only Modi is capable of redeveloping Uttrakhand. Surjewala urged the Prime Minister, not to disrespect the feelings of the people of Uttrakhand and added that that Lord Shiva does not seek anyone’s help, but seeks devotion.
The Congress spokesperson tweeted that “The truth shall prevail. Modiji Lord Shiva knows everything. Should abstain from talking loud and rhetoric at the feet of the Lord.”
8/8 सच कहा है – ‘साँच को आँच नहीं’।
मोदीजी, बाबा सब जानते हैं।
ईश्वर की शरण में बड़बोली बातों व जुमलों से गुरेज़ करना चाहिए।#Kedarnath— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) October 20, 2017
Randeep Surjewala asked Modi to at least show some humility at the doors of the Shiva temple. He also added that those who devotee themselves to the lord get the fruit of devotion, but Modi has disrespected the feelings of the people of India.