Congress flays BJP over Narendra Modi toilet remark

NEW DELHI: Congress today ridiculed Narendra Modi for his "toilets first, temples later" remark and asked BJP, which had raked up a controversy over a similar remark by Union Minister Jairam Ramesh, why it has "gone silent" this time.

Party general secretary Digvijay Singh referred to a media report, which had quoted Modi as saying that those who clean toilets get spiritual pleasure in doing it, while Union Minister Rajiv Shukla said Modi is "not a Hindu leader" but is being projected as such to "mislead" Hindus and garner votes.

"BJP goes silent on whatever Narendra Modi says and begins supporting him. Jairam Ramesh had once said toilets should be made first in villages before temples. BJP had then immediately criticised Ramesh and demanded that he seek an apology from the nation.

"Why BJP is not opening its mouth when Modi said this? He (Modi) is not a Hindu leader. He has not even done anything for Hindus. He is not a leader of Hindus. His views are also entirely different. He is being projected like this to mislead people, mislead Hindus under a conspiracy to garner votes," Shukla said.

Singh, who is a known detractor of Modi, said he had seen an article in which "Modi had said people who clean toilets get spiritual pleasure in cleaning it. I want to ask him, had he ever experienced the pleasure and cleaned the toilet?"

During a function here for youths yesterday, Modi had said he dared to say so even though his image as a Hindutva leader did not allow him.

"I am known to be a Hindutva leader. My image does not permit to say so, but I dare to say. My real thought is 'Pehle shauchalaya, phir devalaya' (toilet first, temple later)," he said.
Addressing college students Wednesday, the Gujarat chief minister rued that many Indians still do not have access to basic sanitation.

"My image is that of Hindutva but I'll tell you my real thinking. I have said in my state: pehle shauchalaya, phir devalaya (toilets first, temples later)," Modi said.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said this was another example of the Bharatiya Janata Party's double standards.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh drew flak from the BJP in April when he said that toilets are more important than temples.

"No matter how many temples we go to, we are not going to get salvation. We need to give priority to toilets and cleanliness," he had said.

The BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy had said then that such comments would "destroy the fine fabric of religion and faith".

Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists had even protested outside the minister's residence.