“We defeated the Ram Janmbhoomi Movement in Ayodhya," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday, sparking a row. A section of the BJP and many Netizens are accusing him of turning "unabashedly Hinduphobic". He meant to say that the INDI Alliance successfully trounced the BJP in the Faridabad constituency in the recent General Elections. Ayodhya is a town in the Faridabad constituency.
The political fallout of RaGa's speech might not be immediate. Regardless of what his party might say in an attempt to do damage control, the BJP will make his views viral so as to keep its Hindutva vote bank intact.
The remarks by RaGa come just days after he said, on the floor of Lok Sabha, that "those who call themselves Hindu are violent". Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervened and said that it was grave to make such remarks on the "entire Hindu society". Immediately, RaGa clarified that the BJP and Modi don't represent the entire Hindu society.
RaGa's statements might come to haunt the party in the distant future. For now, though, the impact will be neutral in the Maharashtra Assembly elections to be held later this year.
