In a stunning twist of events, Twitter today erupted when news surfaced that Rahul Gandhi’s name was entered in the ‘Non Hindu’ visitors register.
Jai Somnath! During @INCIndia Vice President @OfficeOfRG visit to Somnath Temple, his media coordinator Manoj Tyagi mentioned Rahul Gandhi name along with @ahmedpatel into the spl register maintained for Non-Hindus who are visiting the temple. Major goof up in the election season pic.twitter.com/yYvBmIm2s3
— Brajesh K Singh (@brajeshksingh) November 29, 2017Soon after this news surfaced, Congress went in fire fighting mode and tried to ‘clarify’ by avoiding questions and coming clean.
ANI reported that Congress’ official defence was that Rahul had not signed the ‘Non Hindu’ register, and released the picture of the ‘real signature’.
Here is the original signature of Rahul Gandhi at Somnath Temple.Very clearly. The other signature is written as ‘Rahul Gandhi ji’, why would he write ji? Don’t know who wrote it. BJP doing what it does best, diverting from real issues: Deependra Hooda,Congress pic.twitter.com/CeRqJnlA6A
— ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017
However, there seems to be a dichotomy since the Somnath Temple Trust PRO, Dhruv Joshi confirmed that Congress Paty’s media coordinator had entered Rahul Gandhi and Ahmad Patel’s names in the ‘Non Hindu’ entry register.
Ahmed Patel,Rahul Gandhi’s names were entered in non-Hindu register by Rahul’s media coordinator Manoj Tyagi.As per rule,it’s compulsory to make such entry at security point close to entry gate for all the non-Hindu entrants: PRO Somnath Trust Dhruv Joshi https://t.co/P28ghC3hF4
— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) November 29, 2017
Congress party earlier said that Rahul Gandhi has signed only in one register, which is the visitors register. That fact is not contested since it is said that the entry in ‘Non Hindu’ register was done by the Media Coordinator Manoj Tyagi.
Manoj Tyagi, probably sensing the ramifications of his actions issued a statement to IndiaToday saying that he had only entered his name in the register to take media personnel inside and that Rahul Gandhi and Ahmad Patel’s names were added later.
Congress later came out and insinuated some fabrication. But the party did not comment on the Somnath Temple Trust PRO issuing a statement that his name was indeed added by Manoj Tyagi.
However, Congress hasn’t clarified whether their contention is that Rahul Gandhi’s name was added later, or that the image itself is fake. They seem to be flip flopping between the two statements.
Clarification: There is only one visitor’s book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated.
Desperate times call for desperate measures? pic.twitter.com/KOokFOH83z
— Congress (@INCIndia) November 29, 2017
Sambhit Patra in a debate on Zee News observed that Congress is being ambiguous on this issue so as to retain the minority votes while also wooing the Hindu voters.
BJP leaders Subramanium Swamy has also mocked Rahul Gandhi several times by saying, “Rahul Gandhi has been a practicing Christian for so many years, let Rahul Gandhi declare that ‘I am not a Christian, but a Hindu’. Why has he got a church in 10 Janpath and he goes there to pray? So unless he declares that he is a Hindu like his father Rajiv Gandhi, we won’t believe him.”
This also seems to be an opportune moment to ask Rahul Gandhi why he didn’t clarify when New York Times in an article published in 1998, described him as a Roman Catholic?
While the controversy brews, Congress came out and declared that Rahul is a “Janeu Dhaari Brahmin”. We also wonder if Congress is so confident of mischief or fraud, why hasn’t the party filed a police complaint yet.
The truth alludes, but these are questions that are bound to haunt the Congress Party and it’s Party President in waiting, Rahul Gandhi.
