Yogi Adityanath and Mallikarjun Kharge have traded barbs - on charges of spreading communal hatred vs appeasement politics - as campaigning for next week's Maharashtra Assembly election enters the home stretch.
At a rally in Amravati Tuesday afternoon, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister served up a caustic reply to the Congress boss' comment about "(political) leaders in the guise of sadhus", an obvious jab at Yogi Adityanath.
Responding to that attack, Yogi referred to his rival's childhood tragedy - his mother and members of his family died when their home, in a village under in the former princely state of Hyderabad, was burned down - and claimed Mr Kharge had since buried his feelings "for the sake of (the Congress') vote bank".
"These days Khargeji is getting angry with me... Khargeji, don't get angry at me. I respect your age. If you want to get angry... get angry at the Hyderabad Nizam. The Nizam's 'razakars' burnt your village, brutally killed Hindus, and burnt your respected mother, sister, and family members. Present this truth before the country - whenever they will be divided, they will be divided in the same brutal manner..."
"His village was under the Nizam of Hyderabad... when India was under the British. There was a fire... this was when Hindus were being selectively killed. And, in this fire, his home was also burned down, in which his mother and family were killed. But Khargeji does not say this... because he knows if he says it, then Muslim votes will shift. He forgot the sacrifice of his family for the sake of votes."
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister hit back after Mr Kharge, on Sunday, criticised Yogi over the contentious poll slogan "batenge toh katenge".
READ | "Batenge Toh Katenge": Yogi Adityanath Makes Pitch For 'Unity'
"Many (political) leaders live in the guise of sadhus and become politicians... some even become chief ministers. They wear gerua (saffron) clothes and have no hair on their heads..." the Congress boss said, "But I would say... either wear white clothes or, if you are a sanyasi, get out of politics."
"On the one hand you wear gerua clothes... on the other you say 'batenge toh katenge'. They are spreading hatred among the people and are trying to divide them," he declared.
The sharp jibes were in reference to comments by Yogi Adityanath in August.
Speaking in Agra, he cited the example of chaos then in Bangladesh and said, "You see Bangladesh... those mistakes should not be repeated here. 'Batenge to katenge, ek rahenge to nek rahenge'."
He had accused the opposition of being more concerned about votes than the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh after ex Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country.
But, in the build-up to the Maharashtra election, Yogi Adityanath's incendiary statement didn't find favour with a BJP ally - Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and his Nationalist Congress Party faction.
READ | On Yogi's "Batoge Toh Katoge" Slogan, Ajit Pawar's Rejoinder
"All castes should unite and think about India... they should think about Maharashtra. Development cannot happen by creating differences between each other..." Mr Pawar told NDTV.
Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.
With input from agencies
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