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‘Can’t insult Hindus’: Priyanka Gandhi defends brother amid BJP's attack
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi today said in the Lok Sabha that those who call themselves Hindus are engaged in "violence and hate" round the clock.
Reacting to her brother's remark in the Lok Sabha that triggered a row, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Monday that Rahul Gandhi cannot insult Hindus. She said the Leader of the Opposition was talking about the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, not Hindus in general.
"He cannot insult Hindus. He said it very clearly. He talked about the BJP, he talked about BJP leaders," Priyanka Gandhi said while leaving the Parliament building along with her mother Sonia Gandhi.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi today said in the Lok Sabha that those who call themselves Hindus are engaged in "violence and hate" round the clock, prompting a massive protest from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MPs.
"All religions and all our great men talk about non-violence and fearlessness, but those who call themselves Hindus only talk about violence, hatred and falsehood... Aap Hindu ho hi nahi (You are not Hindus)," he said.
The Congress leader also held up a picture of Lord Shiva and said his message was about fearlessness and non-violence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood up and objected to his remark.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi vs Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha over 'Hindu' remark; Amit Shah demands apology
"Calling the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious matter," PM Modi said.
Home Minister Amit Shah sought the Congress leader's apology.
Union minister Kiren Rijiju slammed Gandhi over the comment.
"I condemn Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji for terming Hindus as a violent, hateful and untruthful community. He can't insult Hindus without any reasons,” he wrote on X.
BJP leader G Kishan Reddy claimed Rahul Gandhi's speech was against Hindus.
"Rahul Gandhi and Congress are in depression. He has lied completely. We should sympathize with Rahul Gandhi because, for the last 20 years, he wanted to become the Prime Minister, but the public did not give him a chance to become the Prime Minister. That is why the speech he gave in the Parliament against Hindus. He said that Hindus are violent. The people of the country should understand this. As long as there are Hindus in the country, there will be no violence in the country," he said.
BJP MP Tejashvi Surya called Rahul Gandhi's speech "shameful".
"The extent of animosity that Rahul Gandhi has for Hindus is unbelievable. In his maiden speech as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, he insulted all Hindus by calling them practitioners of violence. Shameful," he wrote on X.
Congress MP Rajeev Shukla, meanwhile, said Rahul Gandhi didn't say anything about Hindus.
"He said that the people of BJP, you call yourself Hindus but you do not follow Hinduism, we are all Hindus, we follow Hinduism. What Lord Shiv said, we follow it and you do not follow it, you do violence, you spread hatred, this is what he is saying to the people of the BJP," he said.
With inputs from PTI, ANI
