Religious yatra is not show of strength, it’s show of devotion: Vasundhara Raje

Former Rajasthan chief minister and national vice-president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday said that her religious yatra was not a show of strength but of devotion.

“Many people are watching this program through the spectacles of power demonstration. Maybe they are not aware - it is not a power demonstration; it is a devotional demonstration. In this program, not politics, religion is the policy, whose path I have been following from the beginning,” said Raje at Adi Badrinath Temple in Bharatpur.

The former CM started the day, also her birthday and International Women’s Day with prayers at Badri Nath Temple in Bharatpur.

People in large numbers reached there to wish her on her birthday. Locals also welcomed her during the trip from Adi Badrinath to Kedarnath temple.

“Along with my birthday and International Women's Day, we also have the birth anniversary of Panna Dai (a lady famous for sacrifice of her own son to save king's son from enemies). I salute such a braveheart. Such a large number of people from all over the state came to wish me a happy birthday. I am deeply grateful to all of them,” she said.

“Today's program is a happy coincidence. Today, I have completed my 36 years as a legislature after I was elected a first time MLA on March 8, 1985 from Dholpur. All 36 communities in the state have always been supporting me with regards and love. I was inspired by my mother Vijayaraje Scindia to run on a spiritual policy,” Raje added.

The national vice-president said her government had spent ₹550 crore for development of 125 temples and ₹110 crore for beautification to set up religious tourism. We have to root out Ashok Gehlot government to develop the state again.

“The government is stuck in its own politics hence the development of Rajasthan has stalled. But you should not worry, Atal ji had said that darkness will be sorted - lotus will bloom. We will nourish lotus in Rajasthan again,” Raje said.

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Reacting to the statements made by Raje, state health minister in Congress government, Subhash Garg said, “I don't agree with the statement of Vasundhara Raje that no development work in the state was taking place in the present government. The (developmental works) are going on at a rapid pace under the leadership of Ashok Gehlot.”

Garg added that Raje was the BJP’s biggest leader in the state just like Ashok Gehlot in Congress. We respect her as she believes in devotion; however, the factionalism in the state BJP is very much visible these days.