BJP does not hold patents on Lord Ram, Hinduism but our faith is beyond political gains, says Uma Bharti
The Hindu
On her demand for a ban on liquor in the State, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister said she had drawn a line that she will do what the BJP decides
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Uma Bharti on Friday said her party does not "hold patents" on Lord Ram, Hanuman or the Hindu religion and anybody can have faith in them, but "our faith is beyond political gains".
In a statement here, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister also said it was not the BJP which inculcated in her the faith in Ram, the Tricolour, Ganga and cow, but "it was already within me".
"The BJP does not hold patents on Ram and Hanuman or the Hindu religion. Anyone can have faith in them. The difference is that our faith is beyond political gains," she said.
On her demand for a ban on liquor in the State, she said had drawn a line that she will do what the BJP decides.
Ms. Bharti also questioned the purpose of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra.
"But where is Bharat breaking? We (the BJP-led NDA government) have abrogated Article 370 (to end the special status of Jammu and Kashmir). What was breaking the country was Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Rahul Gandhi should take this yatra to PoK," she said.
She also claimed the Congress will be decimated in the Assembly polls scheduled in M.P. next year.
While residents are worried over deaths due to diarrhoea in Vijayawada, officials still grapple to find the root cause. Contaminated drinking water supplied by VMC officials is the reason, insist people in the affected areas, but officials insist that efforts are on to identify the disease and that those with symptoms other than diarrhoea too are visiting the health camps.