Mumbai, Feb 27: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday took a sharp dig at the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for not attending the Maha Kumbh, questioning whether they truly identified as Hindus.

Athawale claimed that their absence from the religious congregation indicated a lack of belief in Hindu traditions and suggested that the electorate should not support them in the upcoming elections.

The Maha Kumbh, a 45-day-long grand spiritual gathering, concluded on February 26, drawing Naga Sadhus, saints, and millions of devotees from across India and the world to take a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam. The event also saw visits from various politicians and celebrities seeking divine blessings.

Rahul Gandhi and his INDIA bloc ally, Uddhav Thackeray, skipped the grand Hindu event.

Reacting to this, Athawale told IANS, "Rahul Gandhi and Uddhav Thackeray did not attend Kumbh. Are they Hindus or not? If they were, they should have visited Maha Kumbh. Their absence proves they do not believe in the Hindu religion."

He further remarked that this was another reason why Hindu voters should not support them in the upcoming elections. "The public will definitely teach them a lesson," he said.

Athawale emphasised that Maha Kumbh was not about Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath but "belonged to the Hindu community as a whole."

He also suggested that the political fortunes of Gandhi and Thackeray had already declined and that their absence from such an important religious event would further diminish their standing.

"The public has already kept them out of power, and after this, their condition in politics will not improve," Athawale added.

--IANS

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