Massive row after Rahul Gandhi meets 'anti-Hindu' priest who says 'Jesus is real God'

India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Indian National Congress were locked in a fierce word of words after former Congress president Rahul Gandhi met a controversial priest at a church in Puliyoorkurichy the southern state of Tamil Nadu during his party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' (Unite India movement) who was reportedly heard saying in a video that "Jesus is a real God...unlike Shakti".

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala shared the video of Gandhi's meeting with Georgia Ponnaiah saying, “George Ponnaiah who met Rahul Gandhi says 'Jesus is the only God unlike Shakti (& other Gods)’. This man was arrested for his Hindu hatred earlier - he also said ‘I wear shoes because impurities of Bharat Mata should not contaminate us.’ Bharat Jodo with Bharat Todo icons? (sic)."

BJP information technology cell in-charge Amit Malviya also lashed out at Gandhi over the meeting and called the opposition party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', which was launched in Kanyakumari in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and would continue across the country for five month in a bid to connect with the masses, a "sham".

"If meeting a controversial pastor, who is known for his visceral disdain for the majority community and their beliefs, Rahul Gandhi’s idea of “Bharat Jodo”, then this Yatra is nothing but a sham. How can indulging faith supremacists serve the larger society and bring cohesion?" Malviya tweeted.

In another tweet, he questioned why Gandhi was spending his time with "hate mongers".

The grand-old party hit back at the BJP saying the audio of the video was doctored and accused the saffron party's "hate factory" of indulging in "mischief" fearing that the movement spearheaded by Gandhi would be successful.

“An atrocious tweet from the BJP hate factory is doing the rounds. It bears no relation whatsoever to what is recorded in the audio. This is typical BJP mischief that has become more desperate after the successful launch of Bharat Jodo Yatra which is evoking such a huge response,” tweeted senior Congress leader and parliamentarian Jairam Ramesh.

Ponnaiah, a Roman Catholic priest, was arrested in Madurai in Tamil Nadu in 2021 for allegedly making provocative remarks on the Hindu religion and beliefs that became viral on social media.

He has also been accused of making controversial remarks against prime minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, the top two leaders of the Hindu right-wing BJP. He also said that Bhooma Devi (Mother Earth) and Bharat Mata (Mother India) was a dangerous disease and he would not let it touch his body.