As Madhya Pradesh assembly elections come closer, Congress party is increasing its soft-Hindutva approach. After Madhya Pradesh Congress President promised that they will they will build Gaushalas in every panchayat of the state, another comment from a party leader to appease the ‘majority community’ has come forward.
According to a video accesses by Republic TV, Congress party media in-charge and key Rahul Gandhi-aide Randeep Singh Surjewala played the ‘Brahmin’ card at an event of the ‘Brahmin Samaj’ at Haryana’s Kurukshetra on Monday. At the event, he claimed that Congress party has ‘Brahmin DNA’. He then adds that there is Brahmin Samaj’s DNA within the Congress. He is quoted as saying, “One of my colleagues asked why is a Brahmin conference being held using Rahul Gandhi’s photo and under the Congress party flag and the Tricolour? I said that I will respond to this from this platform one day. Indian National Congress is that party, my friends, in whose blood there is Brahmin Samaj’s DNA.”
He also says that Rahul Gandhi embarked on the Yatra of Bhole Nath alone (referring to the Congress president undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra).
Surjewala went on to compare Rahul Gandhi with Gods and BJP leaders with Demons, referring the Gandhi family scion as a ‘Shiv-bhakt’ (devotee of Lord Shiva).
‘The fight between Gods and Demons has been happening since time immemorial. In Mythology, whenever Vishwamitra sat for prayers, demons would try to foil it. Whenever anyone prayed for Bhole Shankar (Lord Shiva) demons would gather to foil it. Even today, Shiv-bhakt, your son, Congress chief and our leader Rahul Gandhi is on his way to Bhole Shankar’s Yatra to Kailash Mansarovar. And who’s trying to foil his trip? Leaders of the BJP’.
The statements of Surjewala is interesting in the context of the fluid position that Congress has taken on religion. Most times it tries to project itself as messiah of minorities, with its then PM Manmohan Singh declaring that minorities have the first right over resources and allegations of Rahul Gandhi asserting that Congress is a party of Muslims, but during election times it turns to the other side of the spectrum, from Temple Run by Rahul Gandhi before Gujarat elections to he being declared a ‘Janeu dhari Brahim’ by his party leaders to he undertaking the Man Sarobar Yatra.
It is also intriguing that Congress’ claims of being a Brahmin party come weeks after BJP had questioned Rahul about Congress reportedly being called a “Muslim party” at a meeting between Muslim intellectuals and Rahul Gandhi. They had also questioned whether Congress coined the term Hindu Terror just to position themselves as a Muslim party.
