Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole sparked a fresh row on Tuesday as a video showing a party worker washing his feet went viral. As per reports, the questionable incident took place when Patole visited Wadegaon to attend an event today. The viral video showed a party worker pouring water on Patole's feet and cleaning them with his hands as the Congress leader exits the vehicle.
As the ruling BJP slammed Patole over 'insulting' his party workers, the Maharashtra Congress chief later channeled the accusation to the ruling party itself citing a lack of tap connection in the area that led the worker to wash his feet.
What did Nana Patole say?
Responding to the BJP's allegations, Nana Patole later said his feet got muddied after taking part in a procession of the holy symbolic footprints of Saint Gajanan Maharaj.
"I had gone to Akola to seek the blessings of Gajanan Maharaj at a ground where palkhi was kept during an ongoing yatra. The ground was muddy and my feet got soiled. So I washed my feet while our worker poured water on it. I do everything in broad daylight. I am not ashamed of anything," Patole said.
"The worker was pouring water (on my feet). There was no tap - 'Har ghar mein nal, har ghar mein jal' (a reference to BJP's water guarantee). Otherwise I would have used water from the tap," he added.
BJP slams Congress, seeks apology
Questioning the true culture of the grand old party, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said, "In a shocking video, a Congress worker is seen washing Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole’s feet. It is the same party that went around lying to the Dalits that if BJP comes to power they will change the Constitution and remove reservation. And now this. How is this acceptable?"
Lashing out at Paole, BJP MP Bhupender Yadav also said, "Maharashtra ,Congress chief Nana Patole didn't just get his feet washed by a party worker. He is also brazenly defending it. If this is what the party is doing to its own workers, wonder how they treat common people. Truth be told, Congress uses power only to oppress," Yadav said.
Moreover, BJP MP also sought an immediate and unconditional apology from the Congress.
