Amid the ‘Shakti War’ between the Bhartiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress, Rahul Gandhi furiously said to the media, that the fight is against the ‘Asura Shakti’. He said, “We are fighting against hatred-filled ‘Asura-shakti.”
#WATCH | As Congress bank accounts frozen, party leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi says, “We are fighting against hatred-filled ‘Asura-shakti’ ” pic.twitter.com/BfCU95NiOM
— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2024
How it started?
During a rally in Mumbai, Rahul Gandhi spoke about the Opposition’s battle against what he referred to as “Shakti” in Hinduism. He raised concerns about the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), highlighting the Opposition’s struggle against the state’s authority.
Gandhi stated, “We are fighting against a ‘Shakti’ (state’s might), which raises questions about its nature and implications for us. The integrity of EVMs has been compromised, symbolizing the surrender of autonomy to the ruling party.”
He clarified that their fight is not against Prime Minister Modi personally but against the power he represents. He described Modi as a figurehead for this ‘Shakti’ and criticized his leadership abilities.
Prime Minister Modi retaliated during his election rallies, framing the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as a battle between those who support ‘Shakti’ and those who oppose it.
The only person twisting Moorkhasura’s words is Moorkhasura himself. Modi did not bring up “hindu dharam me shakti”. That was all Moorkhasura himself https://t.co/hLpA4fJnmC pic.twitter.com/r87gg4yQRL
— Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) March 18, 2024
To this PM Modi replied reffering the renowned poet Subramania Bharathi, noting his reverence for Mother India in the form of ‘Shakti swaroop’ and his acknowledgment of the country’s ‘nari shakti’ (women’s power). Modi identified himself as a follower of this ‘shakti’ as well. He stated, “Tamil Nadu will not tolerate those who speak of harming ‘Shakti.’ This is the assurance from millions of Tamil Nadu residents.”