Congress veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday chastised his colleague Salman Khurshid for comparing Hindutva to radical jihadist groups like the Islamic State (ISIS) and Boko Haram in his new book ‘Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times’. Reacting to the controversial passage in question, the former CM of Jammu and Kashmir called it ‘factually wrong and an exaggeration’.
“We may not agree with Hindutva as a political ideology but comparing it with ISIS and Jihadist Islam is factually wrong and exaggeration,” senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on a passage in Salman Khurshid’s book on Ayodhya verdict.
— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2021
(file photo) pic.twitter.com/mJDDKzQs2V
Azad said that their political ideology on Hindutva may be different from that of the Bharatiya Janata Party, however, likening Hindutva with the jihadist Islam of terrorist groups was erroneous.
A statement released by the senior leader said, “We may not agree with Hindutva as a political ideology distinct from the composite culture of Hinduism, but comparing Hindutva with ISIS and jihadist Islam is factually wrong and exaggeration.”
The veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also shared his thoughts on the microblogging site Twitter, yesterday.
In Mr. Salman Khursheed’s new book, we may not agree with Hindutva as a political ideology distinct from composite culture of Hinduism, but comparing Hindutva with ISIS and Jihadist Islam is factually wrong and an exaggeration.
— Ghulam Nabi Azad (@ghulamnazad) November 11, 2021
Interestingly, Ghulam Nabi Azad is the first from the grand old party to respond to Salman Khurshid’s reprehensible remark comparing Hindutva and Islamic terrorist groups.
Eventhough Azad put a disclaimer that Hindutva is distinct from the “composite culture of Hinduism”, he did condemn the remark by Khurshid as an ‘exaggeration’. Perhaps this is the only criticism we can expect from a Congress leader, however, even Azad is incorrect in claiming that Hindutva is not composite or is distinct from Hinduism. This is the very trope that is used often to call for the annihilation of Hindutva, where as we saw in the recent ‘Dismantling Hindutva” conference, it soon devolved into the quest to dismantle Hinduism itself.
Salman Khurshid responds to Ghulam Nabi Azad, defends comparing Hindutva and ISIS in his new book
Responding to Azad’s comment, Khurshid told PTI: “Mr Azad has said he disagrees with the ideology of Hindutva… I have explained why we disagree.”
“After that, he (Azad) said this is an exaggeration. Now, exaggeration, measurement and assessment and perception varies from person to person. It may seem exaggerated to him, it does not seem exaggerated to me.
“I don’t want to engage him (Ghulam Nabi Azad) in an argument because I think he must have said it in a casual moment when he had nothing serious thoughtful consideration of it. But if he said it, we respect him for what he says, he is a senior person, but it will not make me change my mind,” Khurshid responded.
BJP slams Salman Khurshid for comparing Hindutva with jihadist Islam, asks Sonia Gandhi to explain
The book by former Union minister Khurshid on the Ayodhya verdict was released on Wednesday. Khurshid in the chapter called ‘The Saffron Sky’ wrote: “Sanatan Dharma and classical Hinduism known to sages and saints were 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.”
Khurshid’s controversial opinion stirred a hornet’s nest with BJP also launching a scathing attack on the grand old party and Khurshid.
The BJP accused him of hurting religious sentiments by equating the religion with radical Islamic groups and said it deserved legal action. BJP sought Khurshid’s dismissal from the Congress party. It also went for Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, urging her to explain the statement made by her party leader “if she respects Hindus.”
Complaint filed against Salman Khurshid
Meanwhile, two Delhi lawyers have filed complaints with the Delhi Police against Salman Khurshid for allegedly defaming Hindutva. One of the lawyers, Vivek Garg, said in the complaint that the comparison “reflects the true mindset of Congress as they try to legitimise the radical elements of ISIS by creating an artificial equivalence with Hindus.” Another complaint called the statement “quite aggravating and defamatory” for the whole Hindu community.
