Jodhpur, July 12 -- Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Sunday accused the Congress of using Lord Ram for political purposes, alleging that the opposition party had earlier denied the deity's existence but was now trying to portray itself as a devotee.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the Congress' "intentions, tactics and character" were well known to the public.

"The Congress party's intentions, tactics, and character have long been evident to the public. These Congress members belong to the very clan that denied the existence of Lord Ram. They even filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court claiming that Ram was a figment of imagination," Shekhawat said.

He further alleged that after facing electoral setbacks, Congress leader...