On Saturday, Congress President Rahul Gandhi met controversial Catholic pastor George Ponnaiah in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, as part of his 150-day-long Bharat Jodo Yatra. In a video that has now gone viral on social media, Rahul Gandhi was seen learning about Jesus Christ from the pastor. Father George claimed that Jesus is the ‘real God’, unlike ‘Sakthi & other Hindu gods’. The rabid Hindu hater said, “He (Jesus Christ) is a real God, revealed as a human person. Not like Sakthi and all.”
Ponnaiah has a history of making inflammatory remarks that have gotten him in trouble in the past. He was even detained at Kallikudi, Madurai, in July 2021, for reportedly uttering a “communal hate speech” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, a DMK Minister, and others.
The Congress in turn accused the BJP of spreading mischief and claimed that the ruling party has become more desperate following the successful launch of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra.’ Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted over the controversy on Saturday, September 10, blaming BJP for the hateful utterances of George Ponnaiah. According to AICC General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, the BJP’s “hate factory” is spreading tweets about Rahul Gandhi that have nothing to do with the viral video.
“An atrocious tweet from the BJP hate factory is doing the rounds. It bears no relation whatsoever to what is recorded in the audio. This is typical BJP mischief that has become more desperate after the successful launch of BharatJodoYatra which is evoking such a huge response,” Ramesh tweeted.
An atrocious tweet from the BJP hate factory is doing the rounds. It bears no relation whatsoever to what is recorded in the audio. This is typical BJP mischief that has become more desperate after the successful launch of #BharatJodoYatra which is evoking such a huge response.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 10, 2022
“People who were responsible for the killing of Mahatma Gandhi and the murders of people like Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, M.M. Kalburgi, and Gauri Lankesh are raising questions! What a morbid joke! Such attempts to damage the spirit of #BharatJodoYatra will fail miserably,” he further said.
People who were responsible for the killing of Mahatma Gandhi and the murders of people like Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, MM Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh are raising questions! What a morbid joke! Such attempts to damage the spirit of #BharatJodoYatra will fail miserably!
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 10, 2022
As the video of Rahul Gandhi with the controversial Catholic priest went viral, the BJP blasted the Congress leader, accusing him of pushing an anti-Hindu agenda and dubbing his padayatra ‘Nafrat Jodo Abhiyan’ and ‘Bharat Todo Yatra.’
“Jesus Christ is the real God, not like Shakti”, controversial Tamil pastor in meeting with Rahul Gandhi
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) September 10, 2022
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/ugDTHRHHW5#RahulGandhi #Congress #BharatJodoYatra #GeorgePonnaiah pic.twitter.com/hGOyf5e4Me
Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ with ‘Bharat Todo’ icons
Shehzad Poonawalla, the BJP national spokesperson, attacked Rahul Gandhi and questioned if George Ponnaiah is the Congress’ poster boy for Bharat Jodo. He stated that the Congress is holding a Bharat Jodo yatra with ‘Bharat Todo’ icons.
George Ponnaiah who met Rahul Gandhi says “Jesus is the only God unlike Shakti (& other Gods) “
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) September 10, 2022
This man was arrested for his Hindu hatred earlier – he also said
“I wear shoes because impurities of Bharat Mata should not contaminate us.”
Bharat Jodo with Bharat Todo icons? pic.twitter.com/QECJr9ibwb
“It’s Rahul Gandhi’s Nafrat Jodo Abhiyan, and today they’ve made someone like George Ponnaiah the poster boy of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, who has challenged, threatened Hindus, and spoken terrible things about Bharat Mata. The Congress has a long history of being anti-Hindu.”
Pastor George Ponnaiah had earlier said that he wears shoes in order to protect himself from getting contaminated by the ‘impurities’ of Bharat Mata.
Pastor George Ponnaiah was arrested in July 2021 for his Hinduphobic speech in a meeting on July 18, 2021, at Arumanai, Tamil Nadu.
