‘Cong’s Gujarat poll analysis an eyewash’

According to him, the CWC, instead of introspecting on the Congress ‘‘lapses in the Gujarat campaign,’’ had sought to hair split between Hinduism and Hindutva. Jaitley maintained that there was no difference between Hinduism and Hindutva.

He, however, pointed at the extensive use of religion and religious symbols by the Congress in the campaign and sought to know whether that was Hinduism or Hindutva. He recalled that Congress president Sonia Gandhi launched her election campaign with a puja at the Ambaji temple.

‘‘Senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh was accompanied by religious leaders during his campaign. A clone of Morari Bapu, called Chhote Morari Bapu, was a star speaker at Congress rallies,’’ he added.

Jaitley went on to say that the Congress also used photographs of Ambaji and Morari Bapu on its publicity material. Morari Bapu had to issue a denial to counter the use of his name by the party.

The BJP leader took an exception to the Congress premise that the BJP was behind the attacks on Parliament, Akshardham temple, Raghunath Mandir and Sabarmati Express because these had occurred during its rule.

He said that this logic, if extended, would warrant an acceptance by the Congress that it was responsible for the assassinations of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.