'Mysogynistic mindset...': Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark in Maharashtra stirs row

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 18 (ANI): In a war of words between the BJP and Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, BJP leader Nalin Kohli on Monday criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent comments questioning the integrity of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Kohli condemned Rahul Gandhi's remarks, stating that such allegations were an insult to the electorate of India.

Taking on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, BJP's Nalin Kohli said, "By raising these kind of allegations, the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi, in a way, are insulting the electorate of India. Its the electorate of India that determines India's destiny. They are the ones who blessed Prime Minister Modi on 2014, 2019 and clearly seem to be wanting to bless him for a third term, because Narendra Modi treats the entire nation as his family. The Prime Minister has one agenda, and that is to make India a developed country by 2047," Kohli said.

"They (Congress) are unable to digest the fact that the vote is not coming their way and hence they keep insulting the voters by speaking against the EVMs," he further said.

Rahul Gandhi, in his comments made on Sunday in Maharashtra, had raised concerns about the operation of EVMs, to emphasize the Opposition's struggle against the might of the state.

"There is a word 'Shakti' (might) in Hinduism. We are fighting against a Shakti (might of the state). The question is, what is that Shakti and what does it entail for us? The soul and integrity of EVMs have been traded to the King (Modi). This is a fact. Not just EVMs but every autonomous institution of the country, be it the ED, CBI or Income Tax department, have traded their spines to the Centre," Rahul said in an address in Mumbai. 

Slamming the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his statement about "fighting against shakti," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress MP of expressing 'misogynistic' views.

"A series of INDI alliance members have said that Hindu Dharma is fraud. Ramcharitmanas is potassium cyanide. Congress Party has a long history of Hindu hatred, from denying the existence of Lord Ram to making the statement about Shakti. The statement from Rahul Gandhi in front of Uddhav Thackeray shows to what extent they can fall. Today, this is not just an insult to the Hindu faith but shows the misogynistic mindset of Rahul Gandhi, who is against NariShakti and its manifestation," he said. (ANI)