Yeddyurappa Slams Rahul Gandhi For Visiting Temple "After Eating Chicken"

Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa on Monday hit out at Congress President Rahul Gandhi for reportedly visiting a temple after eating "Javari chicken" during his ongoing tour of northern parts of the poll-bound state.

"At one side there is 10 per cent Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who took darshan of Dharmasthala Manjunatha after eating fish, on the other side there is Election Hindu @OfficeOfRG (Rahul Gandhi) who took darshan of Narasimha swamy after eating Javari chicken," Mr Yeddyurappa said in a tweet in Kannada.

"Why is Congress repeatedly hurting Hindu sentiments? Looking at every one equally is samajawad (socialism), your's is majawad (enjoyment)," Mr Yeddyurappa, the Karnataka chief ministerial candidate of BJP, said in the tweet with clippings of reports about Mr Gandhi visiting the temple after 'eating' chicken.

Last year, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was involved in a controversy for the Lord Manjunatha Swamy temple after having fish for lunch.

The issue created quite a buzz on social media as it was seen as a mark of disrespect to the main deity of the temple.

However, Mr Siddaramaiah had dismissed the allegation.

Mr Gandhi, who is on a temple trail as part of his election campaign in northern Karnataka, had on Sunday visited the Kanakachala Laxmi-Narasimha temple in state's Koppal district.

The temple, built by a local chieftain, has a history of 500 years of existence.

Speaking to reporters earlier at Shahpur in Yadgir district, Mr Gandhi on Monday defended his visits to temples and religious places, asserting that he would continue them.

"I like going to temples, wherever I see a religious place I go there. I feel good and feel happy, and I will continue (to go)," he told reporters.