Pune:
A month after he created a controversy by picking up the shoes of Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi during his Mumbai trip, Minister of State for Home Ramesh Bagwe has come up with an explanation. He says he was afraid terrorists could plant a bomb in Gandhi's shoes if they were left unattended.
Criticised at the time by the Shiv Sena for propagating the '
jee-huzoor culture', the minister sought to turn the tables on the party, saying the Sainiks should first stop touching Bal Thackeray's feet."Some parties, especially the Shiv Sena, raised a hue and cry because I held Rahul's shoes. Imagine what would have happened if someone had placed a bomb in them," said Bagwe.
"When Rahul had come to Mumbai, to pay obeisance to Dr Ambedkar's statue at Ghatkopar, there was a huge crowd and I was apprehensive, so as a natural instinct I picked up his shoes."
He added, "I also wanted to ensure the shoes were not pushed towards the statue of Ambedkar, who is our deity."
Training his guns on the Sena, Bagwe said, "What right does the Sena have to criticize my action? Why do the Sainiks prostrate themselves before Balasaheb? Is he is a Maharaja?"
The minister said people who criticize him should remember that in Ramayana, Bharat had held the shoes of Ram out of devotion. "If I did the same for my party leader what is wrong".