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BJP's 'hindu hatred' jibe at Congress over Shivraj Patil's ‘jihad and Gita’ remarks
A day ago, Patil said one could find the mention of ‘jihad’ (religious war) not just in the Quran, but also the Bhagavad Gita.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday lashed out at former Union home minister and Congress veteran Shivraj Patil for drawing parallels between Hinduism and Islam, stating it reflected the party’s deep-seated hatred for Hindus.
A day ago, Patil said one could find the mention of ‘jihad’ (religious war) not just in the Quran, but also the Bhagavad Gita.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, "Instead of apologising unconditionally, Shivraj Patil is justifying and defending his statement linking Shri Krishna's message to Arjun with jihad. And within a few hours we see Udit Raj, another national spokesperson of the Congress spewing venom against Hindu faith and hurting sentiments of crores."
The BJP leader termed the grand old party's comments as vote-bank politics. "This shows it is not a ‘sanyog’ (coincidence) but a vote bank ‘ka prayog’ (effort) of the Congress," Poonawalla was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
With Gujarat set to see assembly polls in a few months, the BJP leader accused the Congress and the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of indulging in appeasement politics by "abusing and insulting Hindus".
“Crossing all limits and not to be outdone in Hindu hatred by the AAP, whose leaders Gopal Italia, Rajendra Pal were seen abusing Mandir and Katha and Mandir, in its hate and desperation for vote-bank politics, Congress has crossed all limits”
The BJP spokesperson then said that outgoing Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her son and Wayanad MP Rahul, and party president-elect Mallikarjun Kharge should clarify the comments and take action.
"The fact that neither Patil is apologising nor has the Congress condemned it - shows that the statement was not suo-moto but made to be given by Congress party," Poonawalla added.
Patil had said that while there is a lot of discussion on 'jihad' (or religious war), the issue finds mention in the Quran as well as the Bhagwad Gita and that the message of jihad is also conveyed in Christianity.
“Jihad is not only mentioned in Quran. The part of the Gita in Mahabharata also mentioned that Shri Krishna taught lessons of jihad to Arjun,” he said at the launch event of veteran Congress leader Mohsina Kidwai’s biography.
On Friday, Patil said, "Will you call Krishna's lessons to Arjun jihad? No. That's what I was saying." Patil was seen saying this in a video by news agency ANI.
(With ANI inputs)
