New Delhi: Congress figures censured PM Modi’s latest remarks on dietary choices, asserting his intent was to incite division amid an intense national election.

Although the PM refrained from naming individuals, his statements, voiced during a campaign rally in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, appeared targeted at ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav.

In September 2023, Rahul had unveiled a video where he prepared ‘Champaran mutton’ alongside RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his daughter Misa Bharti. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra had then insinuated the video was filmed during the sacred month of “Sawan,” a time when most Hindus abstain from non-vegetarian fare, yet was released later to sidestep disputes.

Recently, Tejaswi Yadav unveiled footage of himself indulging in a fish feast while aboard a helicopter, accompanied by ally and VIP leader Mukesh Sahni. The BJP reacted vehemently to the video, released during the hallowed “Navratri” period. The pair responded by asserting the recording had been captured earlier and published later intentionally, aiming to test the saffron party leaders’ acumen.

The PM, who had earlier claimed the Congress election manifesto bore traces of the Muslim League’s ideology, further stated that such leaders creating such recordings during revered times like Sawan and Navratri demonstrated the ideology of the Mughals, who historically demolished Hindu temples to subjugate the community after conquering local authorities.