Revanth Reddy's ‘rich God, poor God’ remark faces heat, BJP slams Telangana CM's 'absurd' statement

Telangana BJP launched a scathing attack against chief minister Revanth Reddy on Tuesday, a day after his remarks on Hindu gods Ram and Shiva sparked outrage. BJP chief N Ramchander Rao hit out at Reddy for allegedly trying to create a divide among Hindus and between the north and the south.

Reddy on Monday claimed that Congress struggled to win in the northern states because BJP "stole Lord Ram", who is worshipped by larger number of devotees in the north, while the party managed to win in the south, where Lord Shiva is worshipped. Speaking at a media event in Delhi, Reddy went on to claim that Ram was the God of the rich and Shiva was the God of the poor. He further alleged that BJP was a party of the rich.

Angered by the Telangana CM's remarks, Rao termed it "highly condemnable" as he called for protests. "It is objectionable. It is an absurd statement by a person holding a Constitutional post," news agency PTI quoted him as saying. Rao called upon the BJP workers to burn Reddy's effigies at mandal level across the state.

The BJP chief further alleged that Reddy had also described himself as "Revanth Uddin" in the past in his bid to unite Muslims, while he tries to divide the Hindus.

BJP trains guns on Telangana CM

BJP spokesperson Prakash Reddy also hit out at the Congress leader, saying, “I think he has no basic knowledge about this country, basic geography of this country. Ram is a North Indian God and Shiv is a Dravidian God is what he said yesterday. But he doesn't know where Mount Kailash is, or where Kedarnath is, or where Badrinath is.”

The BJP leader termed Telangana CM Reddy as a "blind follower of Rahul Gandhi" and an "andhbhakt of the British".

"If you are speaking this ignorantly, it will hamper the integrity, unity, and diversity of this country. He is an anti-national thinker. British historians wrote things to divide the country, he is following this," ANI quoted Prakash Reddy as saying.

Slamming Revanth Reddy for his remarks, BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said, "The way Revanth Reddy has spoken about Lord Ram and Shiv. He should not use such language... This will cost Congress dearly."

Congress defends Revanth Reddy

Defending the chief minister, Congress state president Mahesh Kumar Goud said, "Why should he apologise? I'm defending Revanth Reddy. Lord Ram wears a lot of ornaments. He looks rich, whereas Lord Shiva, with no clothes, physically looks poor. That is the difference."

"Both the Gods are the same to us, and we pray to both. But unfortunately, the BJP is playing politics in the name of Lord Ram," news agency ANI quoted Goud as saying. The Congress chief alleged that the BJP was trying to "own Ram" in its bid to woo voters in the elections.