The Congress on Saturday hit back at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his "beef consumption" and "cow slaughter" link to the opposition party's manifesto and asked why the ruling BJP had taken Rs 250 crore as donation from beef exporting firms.

Addressing a rally in Ashok Nagar in Guna Lok Sabha seat earlier in the day, Adityanath claimed the Congress wants to give minorities all freedom to eat and drink as per their choice and then went on to link it to cow slaughter and beef consumption.

"Are the food habits of minorities different from that of the majority (community? The general food habits are the same but the majority of society does not eat beef and opposes cow slaughter. Now Congress has stooped so low that it will support cow slaughter," the UP chief minister alleged.

In response, Congress leader Pawan Khera said, "Why do they (BJP) take donations from beef (exporters). We have not mentioned it (beef) anywhere (in the manifesto). Which party has taken Rs 250 crore donation from beef companies." Speaking to PTI, Khera also asked why the BJP had retained Kiren Rijiju in the Union government though he says he eats beef.

Rijiju has asserted on several occasions in the past he does not eat beef and that a general statement he made on people's food habits was "twisted".

On Adityanath claiming the Congress manifesto spoke of 'jizya' (tax imposed on non-Muslims in medieval India) and likening the document to the "cruel rule of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb", Khera said "We have never heard the kind of nonsense that is going on in these elections." "Jizya, Aurangzeb are deep rooted in their minds. Aurangzeb is gone, that time has passed. Why do they want to take the country to that time," Khera said in a swipe at the ruling BJP.

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