Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks on Manusmriti and asked him to study religious texts.Chief minister Yogi Adityanath interacts with schoolchildren in Rae Bareli on Monday. (ANI PHOTO)Speaking at a programme in Rae Bareli, the Leader of the Opposition’s Lok Sabha constituency, Adityanath said, “You comment on Manusmriti, Ram, and Indian heritage. If you wish to understand Manusmriti, read Atharvaveda, Shatapatha Brahmana, and Matsya Purana; you will find all the information there.”The event was organised to mark the 222nd birth anniversary of ‘Avadh Kesari’ Rana Beni Madhav Baksh Singh, a freedom fighter in the First War of Independence of 1857.Rahul Gandhi, while addressing the Pune leg of the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign on Saturday, had criticised the “Manusmriti mindset” and urged students to “smash the patriarchy,” saying women belonged to themselves, not to their fathers, husbands, or sons.Reacting to these remarks, the chief minister said that as the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi is expected to demonstrate accountability towards democracy and the Constitution.He asked why Rahul Gandhi wanted to “lead India’s children and young generation towards a situation where a mother or another person later has to feel ashamed and apologise?”No person goes through life without receiving care and protection from women in the form of a mother, sister, wife, or daughter, the chief minister said.India’s tradition concerning relationships between men and women, he said, needs to be understood in its broader context rather than viewed selectively.“Rahulji, the country doesn’t have more expectations from you as Rahul Gandhi; in fact, there are no expectations at all. But, in your role as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, your accountability to the country’s democracy is included. You took an oath to uphold the Constitution of India, yet you consider insulting India’s traditions and heritage as your birthright. When you go out of Uttar Pradesh, you defame and insult the state; when you go abroad, you insult India itself. In the country’s fight against terrorism, you directly or indirectly promote anti-national elements,” Adityanath said.“The Indian Army fights enemies on the borders, while Rahul Gandhi asks soldiers for proof,” the chief minister said. He also alleged that Congress had questioned the existence of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.The chief minister said children and young people should not be led in a direction that could later force their parents or families to apologise. Referring to alleged abusive remarks against the Prime Minister at Jantar Mantar, he said the girl concerned and her mother later withdrew the remarks and apologized.The chief minister accused Rahul Gandhi of allowing “urban Naxals” to damage the future of the present generation and questioned why he wanted to destroy India’s heritage.He also questioned the Congress’s commitment to democracy, citing the Emergency imposed in 1975.“Amethi and Rae Bareli had supported the Gandhi family for decades. Still, the same family had also created an identity crisis for the region. It was now for the people to decide what kind of politics and leadership were required for development,” he said.The Congress had shown greater interest in naming monuments and institutions after one family than in honouring great freedom fighters such as Rana Beni Madhav Baksh Singh, Lala Chand Sonekar and the valiant Veera Pasi, he said.The Congress had difficulty accepting the contribution of national heroes such as Veer Savarkar, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, he claimed.Port Blair airport had been named after Veer Savarkar during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government but was later renamed by a Congress government, he said.He accused state Congress chief Ajay Rai of being present in a fish feast in Ayodhya and blamed the opposition party for following “double standards”.“Congress leaders are also engaged in “political posturing” over religious faith. Congress state president had visited Hanumangarhi in Ayodhya and subsequently attended a fish feast,” the chief minister said.“After chanting “Ram-Ram” in a temple and bowing before Bajrang Bali, such conduct was shameful. Even a chameleon would be embarrassed by such an act,” he said.