Congress Presents 'Confused' Rahul as Secular, But as Polls Draw Near he Turns Hindu: Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi: The BJP came back at Rahul Gandhi with full force for questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's understanding of Hinduism, with Sushma Swaraj saying she hopes the day never comes when the BJP has to learn about Hinduism form the Congress leader.

“There came a statement that Rahul is a sacred-thread wearing Brahmin, but I did not know that he has gained so much knowledge that the we will have to understand the meaning of Hinduism from him. I hope such a day never comes that BJP has to learn Hinduism from him," said Swaraj at a press conference in Jaipur.

Rahul, addressing the business community in Mewar district of Rajasthan, stirred a controversy when he said that the PM claims he is a Hindu but doesn't understand the foundation of Hinduism.

"What is the essence of Hinduism? What does the Gita say? That knowledge is with everybody, knowledge is all around you. Every living being has knowledge. Our PM says he is a Hindu but he doesn't understand foundation of Hinduism. What kind of a Hindu is he?" Rahul Gandhi said.

A political row broke out after details of Rahul Gandhi's gotra were "revealed" by a priest in Rajasthan earlier this week. He is a "Dattatreya" and a Kashmiri Brahmin, said a priest in Pushkar. The BJP had also targeted Gandhi over the Congress' claim that he is a "Janeudhari (sacred thread-wearing) Brahmin". Rahul also has claimed that he is a 'Shiv bhakt'. Swaraj said the Congress party itself is confused over Gandhi's religion and caste.

"Rahul Gandhi said the PM doesn't know the meaning of being a Hindu. He said that because he and the Congress are confused about his religion and caste. For years, the party presented him as secular leader but as soon as the polls draw near they realise that Hindus are in majority, and so they work at his Hindu image," said Swaraj.

Lending his weight to Swaraj’s assessment, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Rahul keeps changing his Hindu appearances for political purposes.

“Rahul Gandhi's problem is that he is the confused Gandhi. He keeps on changing his Hindu appearances for political purposes, not by way of commitment. He isn't a Hindu by commitment, he is a Hindu by political consideration. His Hindu faith changes with political expediency,” said Ravi Shankar Prasad.

BJP president Amit Shah too hit back at the Congress, saying, "The Congress is now preaching us about Hinduism... They are giving us lessons on Gita."