Only billionaires, no labourer or farmer at Ram mandir event: Rahul in UP leg of Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra

Lucknow: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and, referring to the consecration of Ram Lalla at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 in which Modi was the chief 'yajmana', said that only billionaires and celebrities were present at the event and not the poor, labourers and farmers.

''Did you (people) see any poor, labourer or farmer in the Ram Temple event? There only were billionaires there,'' Rahul said while addressing a public meeting at Chandauli in Uttar Pradesh during his ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra''.

''The prime minister speaks on Pakistan but he does not speak on inflation, unemployment and farmers,'' the Congress leader added.

''The injustice which prevails in the country is responsible for hatred and violence.....the youths and farmers are victims of social and economic injustice,'' the former Congress president said.

Earlier Rahul was accorded a warm welcome by the party workers and leaders when the Yatra entered UP from Bihar. The Congress leader also visited the 'Martyrs' Memorial' in the district and paid tribute to the slain soldiers.

Rahul would be reaching Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Modi, on Saturday. His 'yatra' would pass through the roads of the town covering Golgadda, Maidagin, Godoulia, Gyanvapi and Manduadih localities.

Gandhi will also visit the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi and perform 'puja' there, according to the local Congress leaders. He would also perform 'Jalabhishek' (offering of sacred waters on the Shivling) there.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was scheduled to accompany Rahul in Varanasi, however has cancelled her visit citing health reasons.

Rahul has decided to cut short the 'Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra' in its UP leg by five days in view of what the party leaders here said the forthcoming UP ''Board examinations'', which would be starting from February 22.

Congress leaders here said that Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav could be seen with Rahul when the latter's Yara entered Raebareli, the Lok Sabha constituency represented by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi or Amethi, which was represented by Rahul in the LS till 2019. Rahul had lost to union minister Smriti Irani in the 2019 LS polls.