On Tuesday afternoon, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot speaking at a special convention of the state Congress committee said that the country and the world would have failed to sustain without Gandhi's principles.
He told the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh that merely speaking about Gandhi will not work. "You should speak out what you have in your heart and mind," said Gehlot.
He said that the Congress was the party that kept democracy alive in the nation for the last 70 years and if India is being honoured in the US, then there is a story of development of the last 70 years which the country witnessed under Congress rule.
Gehlot also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that the way Modi was walking holding hands with US President Donald Trump, it was more like acting. However, acting has no truth. Fake speeches can't satisfy the hunger pangs of farmers, the economy is in a shambles but Modi is busy in his marketing through advertisements.
Reacting to Gehlot's allegations, BJP state chief Satish Poonia said that the Congress always used Gandhi's name but never adopted his ideology and practices.
Even on the eve of the birth anniversary of Gandhi, the Congress's hatred of the BJP and RSS could be seen clearly. It is a fact that Gandhi himself attended a camp organised by the Sangh in 1934 and praised its efforts to remove the curse of untouchability from India, he added.
Poonia said that the country is moving ahead on the path of progress under Modi's rule, but Rajasthan is one government where maximum contradiction to Gandhi's policies is seen.
The way Gehlot is making comments, it seems that he will fulfil Gandhi's last wish to disband the Congress starting in Rajasthan itself. It's the biggest irony of the nation that the party which once killed democracy is now talking of preserving democracy in the nation, he added.
He added that the BJP will take out a Gandhi Sankalp Yatra from October 2 to October 31 to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi. BJP MPs, MLAs and other party workers will participate in this yatra.
He said that it was Modi who implemented Gandhi's schemes on the ground. Be it promotion of khadi or the cleanliness campaign, it was the Modi government that worked for it, he added.
Our Prime Minister is working hard to eradicate the curse of untouchability and is now dreaming of the Gram Swaraj which Gandhi once dreamed of. The Congress workers did nothing except eulogising his surname, he added.
( With inputs from IANS )