Religion-based politics will not succeed: Gehlot on Adityanath’s ‘Talibani mindset’ remark

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Thursday slammed the BJP over his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath’s “Talibani mindset” statement and said politics in the name of religion will not work any more.

Adityanath, while addressing a meeting in Tijara on Wednesday, said, “I have been told that the Congress candidate from Tijara uses big metaphors about himself. Only Bajrangbali's mace can cure the Talibani mindset. Are you seeing how Israel is currently working to crush the Taliban mentality in Gaza.”

Replying to the UP chief minister’s remark, Gehlot said, “Whatever they are saying is not in the favour of the nation. They only want to divert the issue.” “They used Bajrangnali’s name in Karnataka also and the people of the state gave a befitting reply. Now, it is Rajasthan’s turn, the people of Rajasthan will also do the same.”

The 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will go to polls on November 25 and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 3.

Baba Balaknath filed his nomination papers from the Tijara assembly constituency on Wednesday.

The Congress has fielded Imran Khan for this seat.

Addressing a press conference after Sadhvi Anadi Saraswati joined Congress, Gehlot said, “The BJP and RSS are accusing us of doing appeasement politics but now they are being exposed. You know that when someone talks in the name of religion, people get misled.”

'I created the directorate for cows, they are increasing the honorarium of the priests, getting the temples repaired so the politics that they are doing in the name of religion is no longer going to succeed. People have understood that the government in Rajasthan is taking everyone along.' Gehlot said the policies and principles of Congress have kept the country united and the party’s vision is to take people of all castes and religions along.

The chief minister said the schemes of the Rajasthan government are being discussed across the country. Congress is going to the election fray based on the work the state government has done.