Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MD)

Mangaluru, Apr 28: Condemning the remarks by BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj and Sadhvi Prachi on Indian National Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in connection to Nepal earthquake, senior politician Janardhan Poojary on Tuesday April 28 said that Sakshi Maharaj and Vishwa Hindu Parishad VHP) leader Sadhvi Prachi 'have no humanity' left in them.

Sakshi Maharaj and Sadhvi Prachi have stirred up a controversy stating that Rahul Gandhi's visit to Kedarnath had been responsible for the devastating earthquake in Nepal. Sakshi had reportedly said: "Rahul Gandhi eats beef and goes to the holy shrine without purifying himself. The earthquake was bound to happen." Sadhvi Prachi, meanwhile made a similar statement: "Whenever Rahul Gandhi visits a place, he brings along destruction. During his Uttarakhand visit earlier, there was devastation. Now he has caused an earthquake."

Addressing a press meet at the district Congress office here, Poojary said, "I strictly oppose Sakshi Maharaj's and Sadhvi Prachi's remarks on Rahul Gandhi. The Indian government, all the state governments, our soldiers and the 130 crore people of India are shedding tears over the calamity that hit Nepal.

"But Sakshi Maharaj and Sadhvi Prachi are maligning the respect and honour of our country by making such statements. I want to know when and where did these two see Rahul Gandhi eating beef? Don't you (Sadhi and Sakshi) have any other matter to discuss?" he said.

"Sadhvi Prachi and Sakshi Maharaj are wrecking the sanctity of saffron. They do not know the true meaning of saffron. One more BJP MP, Giriraj Singh, has made remarks about Sonia Gandhi. It looks like they are trying to show to the world that we Indians do not have any humanity left in us," he added.

Challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove Sakshi Maharaj and Sadhvi Prachi from BJP, he said, "If PM Narendra Modi has guts then let him throw them out of the party, if not, nobody is going to trust him."

Praising the media for the coverage of the Nepal tragedy, he said, "Media persons are showing pictures of Nepal to the world without bothering about their own safety. They are trying to help. Power is not eternal, but humanity is.

"No country should face this kind of earthquake. The whole world is responding to the needs of Nepal," he added.

"Everyone should forget about their caste, religion etc and help those stranded in Nepal. Do not act like monsters. Do not bring politics into every single matter," he urged.

Former MLA Vijay Kumar Shetty and Janardhan Poojary announced that they would donate their April pension of Rs 34,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively to the Nepal relief fund. Poojary also said that his son has already donated Rs 1 lac towards the relief fund and Rs 10,000 from Sai Baba Mandir and Rs 50,000 from Kudroli temple will be donated very soon.

Harikrishna Bantwal and others were also present on this occasion.