Bihar’s Opposition Congress put up controversial posters of party’s national president Rahul Gandhi to mobilize public support for an upcoming rally in Patna. The posters have depicted party president Rahul Gandhi as Lord Ram. The matter earned strong rebukes from the ruling BJP and JD(U) for “cheap political stunts”.
Rahul Gandhi would address the party’s ‘Jan Akanksha rally’ in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on February 3. Rahul was shown dressed in the popular image of Lord Ram in the posters, complete with long hair, garlands and a quiver of arrows on his back.
Text on the posters addressed to Rahul Gandhi, read: “Ve Ram naam japte rahen, tum banker Ram jiyo re” (Let them chant the name of Ram; you live and act as Lord Ram).
Photographs of a galaxy of Congress leaders, including former party chief Sonia Gandhi and former PM Manmohan Singh, also figured in these posters along with the local leaders.
Local leader backs criminal-turned-MLA’s participation
Significantly, these posters emerged a day after Congress’s Bihar in-charge Shaktisinh Gohil likened Rahul Gandhi to Lord Ram and the party’s political mission to that of Lord Ram building the Setu (Adam’s Bridge) between India and Sri Lanka as narrated in the Ramayana.
‘When Lord Ram started preparing to build the Setu, he did not call anyone for help. A bird started bringing leaves in its beak. Sugriv and Bali brought hills. Just like that, we have not asked anyone for help.’ Gohil said on Monday. Gohil explained away criminal-turned-MLA Anant Singh’s participation in a Congress road show to mobilize support for Gandhi’s rally.
