Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday brought up the analogy of Ram to criticize the BJP and RSS, saying they say “Jai Shri Ram” and not “Jai Siya Ram” because they do not worship Sita. The comment comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Congress for defaming party chief Mallikarjun Kharge of Ravan, saying the Congress never believed in Ram but compared PM Modi to Ravan. Addressing a rally in Agar Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi said that the meaning of ‘Jai Siya Ram’ or ‘Jai Sita Ram’ is that Ram and Sita are the same.
“How can they give this slogan when there is no woman in the party (RSS)!” said Rahul Gandhi. “Gandhiji used to say ‘Hey Ram’. It was his motto. What does it mean? It means that Lord Ram was not just an individual but a way of life symbolizing love, brotherhood, respect and tapasya (penance). When Gandhiji used to say ‘Hey Ram’ , it meant that the ideals of Lord Ram are within us and we must follow them,” said Rahul Gandhi.
“The second slogan is Jai Siya Ram, which means Sita and Ram are the same. In this slogan, the way of life of Lord Ram, what he did for Sita is respected. So when we say Jai Siya Ram, we remember and respect Sita,” Rahul Gandhi he said, adding that a scholar came to him and explained it to him. “I am learning many things in the yatra,” said Rahul Gandhi. “The third slogan is Jai Shi Ram which respects Lord Ram. A scholar asked me to raise a question why BJP never sings Jai Shri Ram but not Jai Siya Ram or Hey Ram. It was a deep thought,” Rahul Gandhi said. .
Then Rahul Gandhi explained that RSS people went to BJP and never accepted Lord Ram’s way of life. “Lord Ram never did injustice to anyone, he worked to unite the society. He helped the farmers, traders and workers. Didn’t he?” said Rahul Gandhi. “And they cannot say Jai Siya Ram because there is no woman in the party and it is not a ‘Siya Ram’ organisation. There is no Sita there. They have left Sita out,” Rahul Gandhi explained. “So my request to my RSS friends is: please sing Jai Siya Ram and Hey Ram also along with Jai Shri Ram. Don’t belittle Sitaji,” Rahul Gandhi said.
