BJP slams Gujarat Congress candidate for 'ALLAH lives in Somnath' remark, calls it 'INSULT to Hindus'

Ahmedabad: The BJP and right-wing outfit leaders have strongly condemned Congress candidate Indranil Rajguru’s controversial remark that ‘Mahadev resides in Azmer and Allah in Somnath” and called it an ''insult to Hindus.'' The controversy erupted after a video of Rajguru’s controversial speech about religious places Ajmer and Somnath during a public meeting went viral on social media. In the viral videos, the former Congress MLA who is now contesting on the party ticket from Rajkot (East) seat, could be seen telling a gathering, mostly comprising a Muslim audience, in the constituency, "In my view, Mahadev and Allah are the same. Mahadev resides in Ajmer, and Allah resides in Somnath. Allahu Akbar (God is great)."

He even asked them to chant "Har Har Mahadev" after him and the crowd members did the same. 

"In my view, Mahadev and Allah are the same. I feel joy in taking my Hindu brothers to Lord Mahadev (Somnath) on a bus. But I feel the same joy when I go to Ajmer with trains full of people...Those who seek to reform us should know we are all human beings. Allahu Akbar. Har Har Madev," said Rajguru, who recently returned to the Congress after a short stint with the Aam Aadmi Party.

Ajmer is famous for the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, and Somnath is popular for the temple of Lord Mahadev.

Hitting back at him, BJP's Uday Kangad, who is contesting against Rajguru from Rajkot (East), said, "There is a great difference. Such a statement is objectionable to the Hindu community...Somnath is revered across the country, and is the first ‘jyotirling.’ One should not say something like this."

A prominent religious leader from Ahmedabad Chaitanya Shambhu Maharaj also strongly condemned Rajguru's statements. "This is an example of how low a person can stoop for votes. By such a statement he has insulted not just the Hindus but also Muslims...This is just an attempt to woo Hindu and Muslim voters," he claimed.

Later, in view of the row, Rajguru said, "A clip of mine saying 'Allahu Akbar' has surfaced. In the same clip, people should also listen to 5,000 Muslims chanting 'Har Har Mahadev'." He said the opponent BJP made viral a portion of his speech in which he is seen saying 'Allahu Akbar'.

"I asked them (the public gathering) that if I do not feel ashamed in taking Allah's name, then should you feel ashamed of taking the name of Mahadev? When I said 'Allahu Akbar', then 5,000 people chanted 'Har Har Mahadev'. This is the reality of the video," Rajguru said.

Elections for the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5.