AHMEDABAD: Congress MP and leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi told his party activists on Saturday that the temple movement started by BJP veteran LK Advani with Ayodhya as its centre has been defeated by the INDIA alliance.

Reminding the BJP of its defeat in the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat in UP, where Ayodhya is located, Rahul said: “As we defeated BJP in Ayodhya, we will defeat it in Gujarat.”

He was addressing party workers days after Congress and BJP activists clashed outside the party office on July 2 when the ruling party workers went there to protest against Rahul’s remarks on Hindus in the Lok Sabha. “They invaded our office and threatened us. Now, we’ll defeat them,” he said.

“By defeating BJP in Ayodhya, the INDIA bloc has defeated the Ram temple movement that was launched by Advani. Congress and INDIA bloc defeated them in Ayodhya. Congress will defeat BJP in Gujarat because the “balloon of Modi’s vision has burst,” he said.

“When I spoke with people in Ayodhya, they told me that their land was taken to build a temple, and their shops and houses were bulldozed. To this day, they have not received compensation,” said Rahul.

“Farmers’ land was taken for Ayodhya’s international airport. They did not get compensation.” He arrived in Gujarat on Saturday to meet the families of Congress workers arrested by the state police following a clash with BJP workers. However, he was unable to meet them as they were sent to judicial custody.

On the defacement of the party office in the clash, Rahul said: “Let me tell you we are together going to break their government like they damaged our office. Take it in writing that Congress will contest in Gujarat and defeat Modi and BJP like we did in Ayodhya.”

Rahul also pointed out some shortcomings within the state Congress and urged it to work diligently. “A party worker once told me that there are two kinds of horses: racehorses and wedding horses. Sometimes, the Congress makes the ‘wedding horses’ race and the racehorses dance at weddings.”

“That party worker suggested we put a stop to this. “We must ensure that the racehorses run in races and the wedding horses dance in marriage processions. This task needs to be taken up seriously,” he said.