Indore: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday demanded an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for "insulting" Hindus with his remarks on the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Yadav alleged the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha has hurt the sentiments of Hindus. He accused the Congress of meting out unfair treatment to Hindus in general.
A row erupted after Gandhi purportedly said, "Amitabh Bachchan, Ambani and Adani were invited" to attend the consecration of the Ram temple (on January 22) but "no poor people, labourers or farmers" were called to attend the event.
"Rahul Gandhi's campaigning for Congress and raising issues before people notwithstanding, he has no right to insult crores of Hindus across the world. He should apologise for his statement on Ram Mandir," Yadav told reporters in Indore.
He said the Ram temple's construction materialised after several years of struggle based on public sentiments.
"Rahul Gandhi showed pettiness by ridiculing this event (consecration ceremony of Ram temple). I strongly condemn his remarks. The whole country is angry," Yadav said.
The chief minister hoped Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge would explain to Rahul Gandhi not to insult Ram temple.
Accusing the Congress of treating Hindus unfairly, Yadav said people settle accounts in elections, and the Congress's failure to win Lok Sabha elections three times on trot is testimony to people's mandate.
"This is not a question of power, but of public sentiments. Hurting the sentiments of the public and the core of their faith (Lord Ram) cannot be justified in any way," the senior BJP leader added.