On Tuesday (November 8), BJP President JP Nadda slammed the Congress party for entertaining the derogatory remarks of its leader Satish Jarkiholi against the Hindu community and sowing divisions in the society. He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with psephologist Pradeep Bhandari of India News.
At about 4:25 minutes into the conversation, Bhandari remarked, “Congress party is engaged in its ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra‘. A senior leader from Karnataka, Satish Jarkiholi, has said that Hindu is a Persian word and it means dirty. How do you analyse such comments?”
JP Nadda responded, “This is not a ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ but rather a ‘Bharat Todo Yatra’. People like Satish are players in the Congress’ agenda. This is their job to divide people by making such remarks.”
The BJP President pointed out that Rahul Gandhi had earlier gone to JNU to show solidarity with those associated with anti-India sloganeering.
“After terrorists were assassinated in the Batla House encounter, Sonia Gandhi couldn’t sleep for nights. This is their level of affection…People like Satish are their foot soldiers,” Nadda concluded.
The Background of the controversy
On Sunday (November 6), Satish Jarkiholi made derogatory remarks against the Hindu community at Nippani in the Belagavi district of Karnataka. He said that the word ‘Hindu’ originated from Persia and was not an Indian term.
He claimed that the original meaning of the term was dirty and insulting and also wondered why people in India were taking the term ‘Hindu’ so seriously.
“Where did the term Hindu come from? Is it our own? No. It is of Persian origin. Where is that? It refers to countries like Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. What is the relationship between India and such countries? How can it be an Indian term? There needs to be a debate on this,” he alleged.
“Please refer to sites like Wikipedia. If it is not an Indian term, why are some people taking it so seriously? If you understand its original meaning, you will be ashamed of yourself. The original meaning of the term is very dirty and insulting,” he further claimed.
The video clip of the incident went viral over social media with many including the Congress party criticizing the leader for passing controversial comments against Hinduism. On Tuesday (November 8), Satish said that he stood by his objectionable remarks.
JP Nadda lashes out at AAP
On being asked by Pradeep Bhandari about BJP leadership’s fierce attacks on AAP, he pointed out that it was necessary to counter the party’s propaganda in time.
“Ya banner-based party hai, hum cadre-based party hai (Aam Aadmi Party is a banner-based party while we are a cadre-based party,” he reiterated. The BJP President revealed how the Arvind Kejriwal-led party puts up large banners and gives a false impression of winning elections.
“It has lost deposits in Uttarkhand, and Goa and will lose deposits in Himachal Pradesh as well. AAP makes narratives through advertisements and people can now see through their administrative failure..”
JP Nadda also exposed the doublespeak of Arvind Kejriwal. “He has zero credibility left. He earlier promised to not fight elections, form a party, take support from congress or give tickets to criminals. Three of AAP leaders are now languishing in jail,” the BJP President emphasised.”
JP Nadda on upcoming elections
He also pointed out that the real competitor of BJP in the poll-bound States of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat is Congress, despite its leaders treating the Vidhan Sabha elections as local elections.
The BJP president dismissed the ‘rebel factor’ in Himachal Pradesh and said that it would have negligible impact in such a ‘politically aware State.’ He pointed out how the top leadership of the Congress has refrained from campaigning in the State, leaving it up to local leaders to fend for themselves.
He informed that the saffron party will outperform itself in Himachal Pradesh as compared to the 2017 Vidhan Sabha polls and that the party is in a comfortable position in Gujarat (despite the surmounting anti-incumbency).
While highlighting the recent victory in the Gopalganj by-poll, JP Nadda said that it was proof enough that the BJP can manage to win elections despite Opposition unity and consolidation of its votes.
