Gujarat Congress leader stokes controversy by calling Gandhiji cunning; BJP slams party

Rajkot: Former Gujarat Congress MLA Indranil Rajguru courted controversy by using the term "cunning" for Gandhiji and also claimed Rahul Gandhi was better than the Mahatma as he was "pure hearted and frank".

While Rajguru later claimed he meant to say Gandhiji was "clever", Gujarat BJP vice president Bharat Boghara said people will not forgive the Congress for such comments on the Mahatma.

In a video that went viral on social media, Rajguru, a former legislator from Rajkot who was addressing a small gathering on Dudhsagar road here on May 1, also said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was pure hearted and frank and that people would see the next Mahatma in him.

"Write down my words if you want to. In the coming days, it will be Rahul Gandhi who will emerge as the next Mahatma Gandhi. While Gandhiji was somewhat cunning, Rahul Gandhi is totally frank and pure hearted," Rajguru said.

People have tried hard to portray Rahul Gandhi as a "pappu" (street lingo for dim witted) but the country has accepted him as its leader, he further claimed in the video.

Hitting out at Rajguru, Gujarat BJP vice president Bharat Boghara said people will not forgive the Congress for such remarks against Mahatma Gandhi.

"Gandhiji is the father of our nation and led us to Independence. People of India and Gujarat will not forgive the Congress for such comments. This anger will be reflected in the poll results," Boghara asserted.

Asked about the issue by the media, Rajguru claimed what he said had been mentioned in history books.

"Today, the BJP is working like the British and is trying to destroy democracy. It is only Rahul Gandhi who is fighting against the BJP just like Mahatma Gandhi took on the British," he said.

"That is why I said people will see Mahatma Gandhi in Rahul Gandhi in the coming days. I have read many history books related to Gandhiji and in one such book there was a reference about it (that Gandhiji was cunning). I have not added my own words," he said.

Rajguru also claimed he wanted to use the term 'clever', which he said was a synonym of cunning.