Ashok Gehlot claims BJP and RSS leaders accepted Gandhi for political ambitions

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders and asked them to follow Mahatma Gandhi for his principles and not politics. Gehlot claimed that the RSS was accepting Gandhi “after 60 years” for their political ambitions. He went on to say that he requested RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to accept Gandhian principles.

“They accepted Gandhi after 60 years and the person who shot Gandhi Ji dead was a person of their ideology. The whole world knows that. They accepted him to fulfil their political ambitions, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said. Further adding to his lash out at the leaders, he said, “I want to request Mohan Bhagwat, PM Modi and Amit Shah: if you have accepted Gandhi Ji, then you should also accept values of non-violence, truth, secularism by heart... If they do, some issues like Hindutva and love jihad will end.”

Gehlot was speaking at a function on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi when he made the comments. During the event, the CM also kicked off the state government campaigns to give relief to the poor. Launching the campaigns, he said, “The Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi had said that the benefit of any of our decisions should go to the person sitting at the last end. With this spirit, on the auspicious occasion of Gandhiji's birth anniversary, the campaign 'Administration villages ke sang' and 'Administration cities ke sang' campaigns have been started.” He also laid the foundation stone of Gandhi Darshan Museum and inaugurated the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Governance and Social Sciences.

PM Modi pays tribute to Gandhiji 

Earlier in the day, PM Modi had paid tribute to the father of the nation marking his 152nd birth anniversary. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi stated that the life and ideals of Bapu continued to inspire every generation of the country. Bowing respectfully to the leader on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, PM Modi shared how his noble principles were relevant globally and gave strength to millions. Home minister Amit Shah had also paid tribute to Gandhiji. Meanwhile, Ashok Gehlot paid homage to Gandhiji by offering flowers at the Gandhi statue in Jaipur.

Image: PTI