Several priests on Monday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of "insulting" those engaged in worship with his comment that India is a country of "tapasvis" not "pujaris".

Gandhi had recently said in Haryana that the Congress believes in 'tapasya', while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is an organisation of 'pooja'. The BJP-RSS force people to worship them, he had alleged, adding that India is a country of 'tapasvis' (ascetics) and not 'pujaris' (priests).

Ujjwal Pandit of Yuva Teerth Purohit Mahasabha alleged that Gandhi had insulted India's ancient cultural traditions in which priests have played a central role. It is clear that the Congress leader wore 'janeu' (holy thread) and tilak on his head for show, he alleged in a statement, claiming that Gandhi's remarks are against Brahmins.

Swami Dipankar noted that the Gandhi scion had described his Bharat Jodo Yatra as his "mohabbat ki dukan" (place for love), but was now talking about "hate". The Congress leader should think before speaking as he, on one hand, is working to unite people and on the other hand, is making this kind of statement. Should priests be then thrown into sea, he asked.

"He has undertaken such a glorious journey. I am shocked that he has made such a statement," Dipankar said.

Rajnikant Semwal of Gangotri Dham said priests have had a key place in the land of 'sanatan dharma'. Pujaris have been following an ancient tradition, he said, urging Gandhi to study the same.?

At some places, including Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, priests carried out protests and burnt Gandhi's effigies. In the temple town of Deoghar in Jharkhand, priests demanded an apology from the Congress leader for insulting their tradition.