Varsha Gaikwad slams Sanjay Nirupam, says Congress not against religion but divisive politics in name of religion

Sanjay Nirupam. File Pic

Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad on Thursday slammed former colleague Sanjay Nirupam and said her party was not against religion but divisive politics in the name of religion, reported the PTI.

Sanjay Nirupam, who was expelled from the Congress on Wednesday.

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Sanjay Nirupam had claimed "the Nehruvian secularism which has no place for religion in the society has expired".

In a statement, Varsha Gaikwad said that the Congress was not against religion but divisive politics in the name of religion, as per the PTI.

"The Congress wasn't against Lord Ram but Nathuram Godse's ideology. It is unfortunate you didn't understand Nehruvian secularism. Many people have come and gone predicting the end of the Congress. You join the long queue and wait for time immemorial," she said, according to the PTI.

Varsha Gaikwad said Sanjay Nirupam's political journey showed he had weakened party organisations and distracted leaders and workers wherever he went.

"In the Congress, there were complaints against you but the top leadership always respected you and gave you prominent positions. But today you have shown your true colours," Varsha Gaikwad said, the news agency reported on Thursday.

Sanjay Nirupam's ideology and politics has rusted and that is why he has thrown away his ideology like scrap, Gaikwad added.

The Congress has always forgiven Sanjay Nirupam for his "loudmouth" character, Varsha Gaikwad said, adding she sympathised with the workers of the party he will join.

Meanwhile, A day after being expelled from the Congress, former MP Sanjay Nirupam hit out at the grand old party on Thursday and claimed there is "tremendous arrogance" in the party leadership.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Sanjay Nirupam further claimed the Congress is now history and has no future and that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is a merger of three "sick units".

There are five power centres in the Congress -- the three Gandhi family members, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and (party general secretary) K C Venugopal, Nirupam said.

Nirupam said his criticism of the Congress for allowing the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) to walk away with a major chunk of seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections cannot be termed as an "anti-party" activity.

The former MP from Mumbai North alleged the action against him was taken at the behest of the Shiv Sena (UBT).

(with PTI inputs)