"Congress hates everything associated with Sanatana Dharma": BJP's Pradeep Bhandari slams Kharge

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pradeep Bhandari on Monday came out heavily on Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his remarks on Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and accused the party of being "anti-Hindu", adding that it objects to everything associated with 'Sanatana Dharma'.
Bhandari further accused Kharge of using terms like "saffron terrorism" during the UPA rule.
Speaking to ANI, Pradeep Bhandari said, "Mallikarjun Kharge has hatred towards Sanatana Dharma, he hates saffron that's why he used terms like saffron terrorism during Congress rule. Congress has a problem with each and everything that is associated with Sanatana Dharma."
"They are upset with the fact that PM Narendra Modi's 'Ek rahenge to safe rahenge', slogan has been accepted by society.... What Kharge said shows that Congress is an anti-Hindu party, anti-Sanatan party...who wants to do appeasement of their Muslim votebank," he added.
Earlier in the day, reacting to similar issue, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the "DNA" of Congress is "anti-Hindu" and "anti-Sanatan". Poonawalla also questioned Congress over Kharge's remarks on sadhus.
"This is the true philosophy and DNA of Congress which is anti-Hindu and anti-Sanatan. Therefore, Congress is now saying that those who wear 'gerua' and saffron, the clothes of a sadhu should not come into politics but will they ever say this about Maulana and Maulvi?" Poonawalla said.
"This is the same Congress that spoke about 'saffron terrorism', and 'Hindu terror'...they will never say such things about other faiths, it shows how Congress hurt the Hindu faith for votes of their votebank...they consider 'batoge toh katogey' as communal and vote jihad as secular," the BJP spokesperson added.
On Sunday, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, while speaking at an election rally in Maharashtra, took a jibe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath without taking his name and said that many of the leaders live in the guise of 'sadhus' and have now become politicians and some have even become chief minister as well.
Speaking at the Samvidhan Bachao Sammelan', the Congress President also slammed Adityanath for his 'batenge toh katenge' (If we divide, we will be cut) -- a slogan calling for Hindu unity -- and accused the Uttar Pradesh CM of spreading hatred.
"Many leaders live in the guise of sadhus and have now become politicians. Some have even become chief ministers. They wear 'gerua' clothes and have no hair on their heads...I would say to the BJP, either wear white clothes or if you are a sanyasi wear 'gerua' clothes, then get out of politics. On the one hand, you wear 'gerua' clothes and on the other hand, you say 'batoge toh katogey'...They are spreading hatred among the people and trying to divide them...," Kharge said.
Further coming down on the BJP, Kharge said, "BJP is coming up with new slogans these days. I just want to ask is there any danger in the country? If the country is in danger, it is from BJP-RSS. Because these are the people who talk about division and killing from morning to evening. We have always tried to keep the country united. Indira Gandhi ji was martyred for keeping the country united."