Yoga guru Ramdev speaking at a programme in Lucknow on April 25
Triggering yet another controversy, yoga guru Ramdev on Friday alleged that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi goes to the houses of Dalits for honeymoon and picnic.
"He goes to Dalits' houses for honeymoon and picnic. Had he married a Dalit girl, then his luck could have clicked and he would have become the Prime Minister," Ramdev said at a programme in Lucknow.
He said unlike Mr Gandhi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and Ramdev have not become "fakir" (single) under compulsion.
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Us bechare ki bhi kismat kharab hai (Rahul is unlucky)," Ramdev said.
"His (Rahul's) mother says that if you marry a foreigner girl, then you cannot become the PM and this boy does not want to marry an Indian girl. His mother wants that first he becomes the PM and then marry a foreigner," he added.
Later, in a damage-control exercise, the yoga guru claimed he did not make the remarks in a negative sense and was willing to withdraw them if they have hurt the Dalit sentiments.
Ramdev also refuted Congress's allegations that he was campaigning for BJP in his yoga camps. "My yoga camps are apolitical... we do not appeal for votes in these camps... Airing views through the media is my constitutional right," Ramdev told reporters.
Ramdev also claimed that Mr Gandhi will not be able to win Lok Sabha elections from Amethi this time.
"Rahul will not win elections. It's 100 per cent certain. This time, BJP's Smriti Irani will win from Amethi. Kumar Vishwas (of AAP) has sowed the seeds against Rahul there (in Amethi) and Irani will get its benefit. Sometimes what happens is a person sows the seeds but someone else reaps the benefits," he claimed.
On Priyanka Gandhi, Ramdev said that when it came to her husband's matter she said her family was being humiliated "but what happened when I was targeted and 1,000 cases were lodged against me".