Modi Modern Day Aurangzeb, Has Destroyed Temples: Sanjay Nirupam

Nirupam criticised “a newly-imposed Rs 550 fee” for visiting the Vishwanath temple.

File image of Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam.

(Photo: The Quint/Raunak Kukde)

In yet another controversial attack in this election season, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "modern-day Aurangzeb" who has destroyed temples in Varanasi.

"After coming to Varanasi I saw that hundreds of temples have been destroyed in the city. There is also a newly-imposed Rs 550 fee for the darshan of Lord Vishwanath. I feel that Prime Minister Modi is a modern-day Aurangzeb. He has succeeded in destroying those temples which the people of Benaras defended even during the peak of Aurangzeb’s cruel regime," news agency ANI quoted Nirupam, as saying.

“I condemn the modern day Aurangzeb who has imposed a jizya (tax) on the devotees for visiting their lord. The irony is Narendra Modi talks about protecting Hindu beliefs and rights and breaks temples. I condemn his acts,” he added.

Nirupam also defended Congress' claims on surgical strikes, adding that under his party's government, the army had divided Pakistan into two countries.

"BJP has now come on the back foot because we revealed the truth that surgical strikes took place even under Congress rule. The power of Indian Army during our rule was so much that we were able to split Pakistan into two," he claimed.

Nirupam also targeted BJP for dragging late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the elections and accepted Modi's challenge to fight elections in North Delhi on his name. He also said that the day the former Prime Minister's name was taken, BJP leader Smriti Irani's loss from Amethi was ascertained.

"We are ready to fight elections in the name of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The day he (PM Modi) took Rajivji's name, he ensured Smriti Irani will lose Amethi by at least two and a half lakh votes," he said.

(With inputs from ANI)