Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' Remark Earns Him Labels Like 'Hinduphobic' And 'Misogynist' | Here's What He Said

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ concluded with much fervour amid a strong display of opposition unity in the presence of several INDIA bloc leaders but the grand Mumbai rally was followed by yet another controversy causing Gandhi to be labelled with names like ‘Hinduphobic’ and ‘Misogynist.’

Speaking at the closing rally of the Yatra, Rahul Gandhi, took on the NDA regime comparing them to the powerful Hinduism symbol of ‘Shakti,’ often associated with Maa Durga, and declaring the opposition’s fight against it.

“In Hinduism, there is a term called ‘Shakti’. We are fighting against that Shakti. The question is, what is that Shakti? The soul of the King is in the EVM. The soul of the King in the EVM and every institution of the country, in ED, CBI and Income Tax department,” said Gandhi in Mumbai.

Gandhi also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he works only for power. “Modi is a mask’ who works for a shakti’ (power). He is a shallow man who doesn’t have a 56-inch chest,” Gandhi said.

True Character of INDIA Bloc: BJP Slams Gandhi

Irked by his ‘Shakti’ remark, BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya called Rahul Gandhi ‘A Hinduphobic and misogynist.” He also reminded people of how INDIA bloc leader Udhayanidhi Stalin issued statements against Sanatan Dharm.

“After DMK’s Udhayanidhi Stalin called for the annihilation of Sanatan Dharma, it is now Rahul Gandhi’s turn to denigrate Shakti. Maa Durga embodies the diverse aspects of Shakti, or power, known by various names like Sati, Parvati, Uma, Durga, Kali, Gauri, Tripura Sundari, Shivangi, Mahadevi, and more. She is considered the primal power (adi shakti) of the Lord, responsible for creation, sustenance, and destruction. As the creative power (Shrishti shakti) of Brahma, the sustaining power (paalan shakti) of Vishnu, and the destruction force (samhaar shakti) of Lord Shiva, she is revered as the mother figure in Hindu belief. Shakti also signifies women empowerment,” Malviya wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“But Rahul Gandhi speaks of fighting Shakti. He is not just Hinduphobic but also a misogynist. This is the true character of Congress-led I.N.D.I Alliance,” he added.

Gandhi concluded his 63-day-old Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai on Sunday by paying tributes to Dr B R Ambedkar at his memorial Chaityabhoomi in central Mumbai and reading the Preamble of the Constitution.

Members of some of the opposition INDIA bloc constituents, including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray and others joined the rally.