Rahul playing communal politics ahead of 2019 election: BJP
New Delhi, July 13 : The BJP on Friday claimed that Congress President Rahul Gandhi described his own party as a "Muslim party" and said he was playing communal politics ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nirmala Sitharam told the media: "Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress is a Muslim party. He must come clean and clarify his statement.
"Only yesterday ... the Congress President met a lot of Muslim intellectuals... And he said a whole lot of things (that) Muslims are the next Dalits. If all the Muslims who constitute 15 per cent of population of Bihar vote for us, that alone won't help us. We need Yadavs also.
"And to this he adds how his party plans to correct the course. This is an attempt to incite religion-based clashes," Sitharaman said.
Hitting out at the Congress leader, she alleged: "Rahul Gandhi became a janeu-dhaari during the Karnataka elections and now he has become a Muslim-dhaari.
"By calllng Muslims the next Dalits, what is he conveying?" she asked.
Sitharaman said the Congress shall be solely responsible if any disharmony takes between now and the 2019 elections.
"This closely resembles what happened in 1947 when the country was divided on the communal lines. Congress is playing a dangerous game playing the card of religion."
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Puducherry (PTI): Puducherry experienced heavy rains on Saturday morning prompting the union territory administration to send SMS alerts to around 12 lakh residents cautioning them to remain vigilant as cyclonic storm Fengal is expected to make landfall near here later in the day.
District Collector A Kulothungan told PTI that all necessary steps have been taken to ensure that people remained safe.
"We have evacuated people from low lying areas and shelter homes are ready to accommodate them. Arrangements were also made to supply food packets," he said adding that National Disaster Relief Force from Arakonam has arrived to engage in relief and rehabilitation works.
According to the official, cyclone Fengal was expected to cross the coast in the evening. Control rooms have been opened in the collectorate and also in the line departments.
Toll free numbers 112, 1077 and also WhatsApp number 94889 81070 have been put in place to help people facing crisis to contact for help.
Cyclone Fengal is likely to cross between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram coasts close to Puducherry, official sources said. The government has advised people to stay indoors.
The entire stretch of beach road and also several tourist spots were closed to ensure that there was no movement of the people near the sea shore.
Schools and colleges remained closed today.
