BJP taught Rahul Gandhi to go to temples: JP Nadda

Later addressing the public meeting at Ramlila Maidan, JP Nadda said Congress leaders are doing Ganga-Yamuna aarti these days but these are the same people who used to obstruct the construction of Ram Mandir but now BJP had taught them to visit temples.

Dehradun: Uttarkashi:BJP national president JP Nadda who is in Uttarkashi as part of his two-day election campaign in the poll-bound Uttrakhand offered his prayers at Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

Later addressing the public meeting at Ramlila Maidan, JP Nadda said Congress leaders are doing Ganga-Yamuna aarti these days but these are the same people who used to obstruct the construction of Ram Mandir but now BJP had taught them to visit temples.

Taking a dig at the Congress and the Gandhi family, Nadda said, "Modi ji talked about cleanliness from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Gandhiji talked about cleanliness. But afterward, the Gandhis who came did not talk about cleanliness."

During his address, he referred to Uttarakhand as 'Veerbhumi'. Further, Nadda said that the report card of the state government with works done for Dalits, the downtrodden, and women have received an overwhelming response. Addressing a public rally in Uttarkashi, Nadda said, "The BJP government cares for the poor, oppressed, underprivileged, Dalits, and women. The BJP worries about the people living at the last rung of the society."

Nadda lauded the achievements of the party-led Uttarakhand government. He also said that the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has since 2014 been working for the welfare of the poor, which resulted in building 11 crore 'Izzat Ghar (toilets)' in the country.

Nadda said that 5.22 lakh 'Izzat Ghar' were built in Uttarakhand. "Under the Ujjwala scheme, about 10 crore gas connections have been distributed free of cost across the country. In Uttarakhand alone, 3.65 lakh gas connections were distributed," he added. Further, Nadda said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre ensured annual health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh to the poor under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. "Along with this, Atal Ayushman Yojana is also functional in Uttarakhand in which health coverage up to Rs 5 lakh is being given annually," he added.

Expressing confidence that the BJP's candidate from the Gangotri Assembly constituency, Suresh Chauhan, will comfortably win, BJP president said, "In politics, it is easy to understand the atmosphere. When the name of the candidate is taken, the applause got louder. This tells me that you have made up your mind to give him your full blessings."

For the Gangotri Assembly constituency, Vijaypal Singh Sajwan is in the fray from Congress, while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded its chief ministerial candidate Colonel Ajay Kothiyal.

Uttarakhand is scheduled for polls on February 14. The results will be announced on March 10.

(With agency inputs)