BJP Releases Another Old Video Of Gujarat AAP Chief Gopal Italia

The BJP on Saturday released another old video of Gujarat Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Italia where he is purportedly heard denouncing religion. Sharing the video on Twitter, state BJP spokesperson Yagnesh Dave juxtaposed it with recent photographs of Italia sitting at the feet of religious leaders and visiting temples. 

The ruling party has been targeting the Gujarat AAP chief by digging up his old videos ahead of Assembly elections in the state. In the latest video, Italia is purportedly heard saying that "the possibility of a man's welfare through religion is over."

"Religion means business, power, glory, luxury and the tendency to keep men backward," he adds.

In another video shared by Gujarat BJP on Friday, Italia is purportedly heard saying, "We go to these sadhus for seeking solution to our problems but they are fake....They conduct `kathas' (religious discourses) in the country and abroad but has anyone been reformed? They have looted a lot." 

Dave said someone with such views was now bowing his head in temples. "Time teaches a man a lot," he said in a tweet.

Reacting to the latest salvo by the BJP, Italia said on Twitter that if it thought he would be defamed or silenced with such videos, it was harbouring a misconception. The AAP leader had said earlier that the BJP was targeting him because he belongs to the Patidar community and the saffron party could not bear to see a Patidar youth becoming a political leader.

The BJP had slammed him earlier this week over another video where he purportedly made a derogatory reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was also summoned by the National Commission for Women.

Having projected itself as the main contender against the BJP which has ruled Gujarat for 27 years, AAP has been campaigning aggressively in the poll-bound state. 

(With PTI Inputs)