Rahul Gandhi stirs controversy: 'Hinduism not about beating a Sikh or Muslim; Hindutva is'

Attacking Hindutva and the RSS again, ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday, claimed that BJP's 'hateful' ideology was eclipsing Congress' 'loving, nationalistic' ideology. Addressing Congress' Jan Jagran Abhiyan virtually, Gandhi claimed that Congress has not propagated its ideology aggressively, unlike BJP. Gandhi is presumed to visiting London and addressed the Congress Social Media department workers virtually.

Rahul Gandhi: 'Hinduism and Hindutva are different'

"Today, whether we like it or not the hateful ideology of RSS & BJP has overshadowed the loving, affectionate and nationalistic ideology of Congress Party, we have to accept this. Our ideology is alive, vibrant but it has been overshadowed. Our ideology has been overshadowed because we've not propagated it among our own people aggressively," said Gandhi.

Opining on the difference between Hinduism and Hindutva, he added, "What is the difference between Hinduism & Hindutva, can they be the same thing? If they're the same thing, why don't they have the same name? They're obviously different things. Is Hinduism about beating a Sikh or a Muslim? Hindutva of course is."

Slamming his comments, BJP I-T Chief Amit Malviya tweeted, "If you thought Salman Khurshid and Rashid Alvi were free agents, demeaning Hindus and Hindutva, here is Rahul Gandhi echoing their abhorrent claims. Supreme Court called Hindutva a way of life, Rahul calls it violent. He equates Hindu scriptures to Islamic writings to justify."

Khurshid & Alvi kick up controversy

The Wayanad MP's comments come a day after Congress leader Rashid Alvi claimed that 'not all those who say Jai Shri Ram are saints'. Addressing the Kalki Mahotsav at Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, Alvi narrated a story from Ramayan where a 'demon' in the guise of a saint attempts to trick Lord Hanuman but is foiled by a cursed 'apsara' (nymph). The nymph allegedly points out to Hanuman that the saint who was urging him to 'have a bath and chant Jai Shri Ram' was a demon.

Picking a moral for today's times, he said, "This is what I wanted to say that today as well a lot of people chant Jai Shri Ram. Not all of them are saints. Some are monsters. We need to be smart". 

On similar lines, Congress veteran Salman Khurshid kicked up a controversy comparing Hindutva to radical jihadist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram in his new book 'Sunrise over Ayodhya'. He wrote, "Sanatan dharma and classical Hinduism known to sages and saints was being pushed aside by a robust version of Hindutva. By all standards a political version similar to the jihadist Islam of groups like ISIS and Boko Haram of recent years".