Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday clarified that he and his family members were &quot;Shiv Bhakts&quot; (devotees of Lord Shiva) but that he did not want to use his religion for political gains or &quot;dalali&quot; (deals).

Rahul Gandhi&#39;s remarks came a day after the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/row-over-rahul-gandhis-religion-kicks-off-after-his-visit-to-somanath-temple-25468">controversy</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/row-over-rahul-gandhis-religion-kicks-off-after-his-visit-to-somanath-temple-25468">&nbsp;over his religion</a>. The Congress leader alleged that some BJP workers entered had entered his name in the register meant for non-Hindus at Gujarat&#39;s famous Somnath temple leading to the controversy.

He also said he did not need anybody&#39;s certificate about his religion, nor would he do &#39;dalali&#39; (deal) over religion.

&quot;My grandmother (late Indira Gandhi) and my family are Shiv Bhakts. But we keep such things private. We generally do not speak about them. Because, we think it is a very personal matter and we don&#39;t need anyone else&#39;s certificate about it,&quot; the Congress vice-president told traders over a closed door meeting in Gujarat&#39;s Amreli city.

&quot;We do not want to commercialise this thing. We don&#39;t want to do &#39;dalali&#39; over it. We do not want to use it for political purposes too,&quot; he added.

The Congress vice-president alleged that he signed the visitors&#39; book at the Somnath Temple on Wednesday and subsequently the BJP workers wrote his name in another book.

&quot;I will tell you what had happened (yesterday). I went inside the temple. Then I signed the visitors&#39; book. After that, BJP people wrote my name in the second book,&quot; Rahul Gandhi alleged.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Congress VP Rahul Gandhi says, my grand mother was a Shiv-bhakt &amp; so is my family. We don&#39;t talk about these things as they are personal. (Source: Amateur video) <a href="https://t.co/fV8H8udRf8">pic.twitter.com/fV8H8udRf8</a>
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Rahul Gandhi found himself in the centre of a row after his name along with that of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, was found written on the entry register meant for non- Hindus.&nbsp;

A purported photocopy of the page went viral on social media soon after their visit to the shrine. The signatures against their names were that of the Congress party&#39;s media coordinator, Manoj Tyagi.&nbsp;

The BJP asked Rahul Gandhi to declare his religious faith before people.

Gujarat Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki hinted that BJP president Amit Shah, a trustee of the temple, could be behind the incorrect entry.

&quot;Amit Shah is a trustee of Somnath temple. You know what he is capable of. They have stooped to such a low level that now they want to term us non-Hindus,&quot; the Gujarat Congress president said on Thursday.

&quot;Rahul Gandhi had just written in the visitors&#39; book that it is an &#39;inspiring place&#39;. Ahmed Patel had also not made any entry in the register for non-Hindus. That was a clear conspiracy,&quot; Bharatsinh Solanki said.

The BJP denied its involvement and said Rahul Gandhi&#39;s aide, who signed the register, is from the Congress itself.

The temple administration said Rahul Gandhi&#39;s name was written in the shrine&#39;s register for non-Hindus by his media coordinator, and its staff was not involved in the episode.

Non-Hindus are allowed to visit the temple but have to first get themselves registered at the shrine&#39;s office.

(With inputs from PTI)

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi clarified that he and his family members were "Shiv Bhakts" (devotees of Lord Shiva) but that he did not want to use his religion for political gains or 'dalali' (deals)

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday clarified that he and his family members were "Shiv Bhakts" (devotees of Lord Shiva) but that he did not want to use his religion for political gains or "dalali" (deals). Rahul Gandhi's remarks came a day after the controversy over his religion. The Congress leader alleged that some BJP workers entered had entered his name in the register meant for non-Hindus at Gujarat's famous Somnath temple leading to the controversy. He also said he did not need anybody's certificate about his religion, nor would he do 'dalali' (deal) over religion. "My grandmother (late Indira Gandhi) and my family are Shiv Bhakts. But we keep such things private. We generally do not speak about them. Because, we think it is a very personal matter and we don't need anyone else's certificate about it," the Congress vice-president told traders over a closed door meeting in Gujarat's Amreli city. "We do not want to commercialise this thing. We don't want to do 'dalali' over it. We do not want to use it for political purposes too," he added. The Congress vice-president alleged that he signed the visitors' book at the Somnath Temple on Wednesday and subsequently the BJP workers wrote his name in another book. "I will tell you what had happened (yesterday). I went inside the temple. Then I signed the visitors' book. After that, BJP people wrote my name in the second book," Rahul Gandhi alleged. #WATCH Congress VP Rahul Gandhi says, my grand mother was a Shiv-bhakt & so is my family. We don't talk about these things as they are personal. (Source: Amateur video) pic.twitter.com/fV8H8udRf8 — ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2017 × Rahul Gandhi found himself in the centre of a row after his name along with that of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, was found written on the entry register meant for non- Hindus. A purported photocopy of the page went viral on social media soon after their visit to the shrine. The signatures against their names were that of the Congress party's media coordinator, Manoj Tyagi. The BJP asked Rahul Gandhi to declare his religious faith before people. Gujarat Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki hinted that BJP president Amit Shah, a trustee of the temple, could be behind the incorrect entry. "Amit Shah is a trustee of Somnath temple. You know what he is capable of. They have stooped to such a low level that now they want to term us non-Hindus," the Gujarat Congress president said on Thursday. "Rahul Gandhi had just written in the visitors' book that it is an 'inspiring place'. Ahmed Patel had also not made any entry in the register for non-Hindus. That was a clear conspiracy," Bharatsinh Solanki said. The BJP denied its involvement and said Rahul Gandhi's aide, who signed the register, is from the Congress itself. The temple administration said Rahul Gandhi's name was written in the shrine's register for non-Hindus by his media coordinator, and its staff was not involved in the episode. Non-Hindus are allowed to visit the temple but have to first get themselves registered at the shrine's office. (With inputs from PTI)

My grandmother, family 'Shiv Bhakts', says Rahul Gandhi after controversy over his religion

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My grandmother, family 'Shiv Bhakts', says Rahul Gandhi after controversy over his religion