'Stop insulting Lord Ram devotees': BJP to Rahul on Ram Temple event remarks

New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) The BJP on Wednesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on youths in Uttar Pradesh and Ram temple consecration ceremony invitees, saying he should stop using such arrogant language and insulting Lord Ram and his devotees.

BJP's criticism came in response to Gandhi's veiled jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he said he saw people in Varanasi lying on the road drunk on alcohol.

Varanasi is PM Modi's Lok Sabha constituency.

"He said the youth of Uttar Pradesh are drunk. Is this the language he should use to talk about the region which was ruled by his family? And for so many years, he and his mother were MPs from?" former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

The BJP leader said Gandhi made the remarks against people of the region which drew the "highest investment." "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invested thousands of crores of capital (in Uttar Pradesh). Job opportunities are coming," Prasad said. "Rahul Gandhi, shame on you. Country is ashamed of you. Please improve your language." Addressing a rally in his former constituency Amethi during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Gandhi claimed that the "future of Uttar Pradesh is dancing" by getting drunk at night.

The Congress leader also alleged that not a single person from the OBC or the tribal category was at the Ayodhya Ram temple consecration ceremony on January 22. "Even President Droupadi Murmu was not allowed. Wealthy people were definitely seen in the programme." Prasad condemned Gandhi's comments on the Ram temple event and asked him to stop "insulting" Lord Ram and his devotees.

"He said only Adani and Ambani were sitting there... Rahul Gandhi, stop insulting Prabhu Ram and Ram bhakts. Rahul Gandhi, stop attacking the faith of the majority of Indian people and using arrogant language for youth," Prasad said. PTI