‘Congress doesn’t want to bulldoze any place of worship’: Khurshid on PM’s remark

Patna, May 18 (PTI) Former Union minister Salman Khurshid on Saturday voiced strong displeasure over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charge that the Congress, if it came to power, "will bulldoze the Ram temple" at Ayodhya.

Addressing a press conference at the Sadaqat Ashram, the state Congress headquarters, Khurshid also reminded Modi that "the entire nation has accepted the temple that was built in accordance with a Supreme Court verdict".

"The Prime Minister should remember that the credit for the construction of the temple goes not to him but to the Supreme Court. God belongs to all, so do places of worship. It is unfortunate that the PM is speaking such language", said Khurshid.

The senior Congress leader, who had held portfolios like Law and Justice and Minority Affairs in the UPA government, added "Our party believes in the rule of law. We do not want to bulldoze any place of worship".

He also scoffed at allegations made against the Congress, in recent past, by Modi like "We will take away buffaloes of cattle owners and rob women of their mangalsutras".

"The PM has also claimed that our manifesto bore the imprint of the Muslim League. He should tell us when did he get to read the Muslim League's manifesto to draw such a comparison", added Khurshid.

The Congress leader claimed that allegations of the PM and other senior BJP leaders were "proof that even they have begun to sense that we are coming to power".

"We are confident of winning the elections, in any case. Once we come to power we will fulfil promises like scrapping of the Agniveer scheme and 10 kg free ration to the poor. The BJP has been boasting about its five kg ration scheme for which credit goes to the Right to Food Act that was passed under the UPA rule", said Khurshid.

The senior Congress leader bristled at remarks of BJP leaders labelling a section of the population as "Pakistan supporters" and said "Let them send their children to the neighbouring country which they refer to so frequently in their discourse. I am grateful to my ancestors who chose to stay back during Partition, preferring one's own mother to a stepmother (sauteli maa)". PTI