War of words over Modi's bulldozers remark saying 'take tuition from UP CM Yogi...'; Kharge demands action - 5 key point

A war of words has erupted over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark asking Opposition Congress and Samajwadi Party to take 'tuition' from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on "where to run bulldozers". The Congress party has hit-back demanding action over PM's remarks.

Here's how things are unfolding

Modi addresses rally in UP

- On May 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a Lok Sabha election campaign rally in Barabanki in which he raised the Ram temple issue to hit out at the SP and Congress.

Modi slams Congress, SP

- During the rally, Modi said that the Congress is preparing to overturn the Supreme Court's decision on Ram Temple.

- PM Modi also alleged that if the SP-Congress come to power, they will send Ram Lalla back to the tent and bulldoze the temple, further asking both the parties to take "tuition" from Adityanath as to where bulldozers should be used.

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Congress hits back

- Taking strong objection to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hit back and said it is the BJP that uses the bulldozer.

"It is the BJP that uses the bulldozer. We have never run a bulldozer on anyone till date," said Kharge.

Also Read: 'Country will go bankrupt if…' 10 things Narendra Modi said at Mumbai rally

Mallikarjun Kharge demands EC action

The Congress chief has demanded that the Election Commission take action on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The Election Commission should take action against Modi ji and the BJP for saying such things about the temple of God which is currently under construction by the trust. By saying such things, they are creating anger among the public. They are inciting the public, they are instigating them," said Kharge.

Chidambaram slams BJP

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram slams BJP and said "Bulldozer justice may be the signature tune of the chief minister of U.P., but it is anathema to the Congress and the I.N.D.I.A. bloc."

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Congress' Manifesto has the following promise on page 22, point 16: "We promise to put an end to the weaponisation of laws, arbitrary searches, seizures and attachments, arbitrary and indiscriminate arrests, third-degree methods, prolonged custody, custodial deaths, and bulldozer justice."

That is a complete answer to the outrageous and false charge that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc will take bulldozers to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Anurag Thakur asks why Congress leaders call Lord Ram fictional

Amid Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanding action on Modi's remark, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday, May 18, questioned why Congress leaders call Lord Ram fictional.

"Why do the Congress leaders want to run bulldozer over Ram Temple? Why do they call Lord Ram fictional? Why do they call Ram Setu fictional? Why do they insult Hinduism? Why do they want to crush Santana Dharma?...Santana was, is and will remain...Those who think that they will run bulldozer over Ram Temple, you will have to go over the Ram Bhakts and only then will you be able to reach Ram Temple," reported ANI quoting Thakur.

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