All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday hit out at Congress leader Kamal Nath for his remarks on the demand to make India a ‘Hindu Rashtra’, saying he was echoing the words of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Kamal Nath asked whether it is needed to say separately that India is a "Hindu Rashtra" given the fact that 82 per cent of Hindus live in the country.
“World's largest Hindu population lives in our country. 82 per cent of Hindus reside here. It is not a debatable issue. It is not something to be told. These are statistics...What is the need to say it separately?" Nath shot back when reporters sought his comment on spiritual preacher Dhirendra Shastri's purported demand to make India a Hindu Rashtra.
The spiritual discourse of Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, was organised on Nath's home turf Chhindwara which concluded on Monday.
Reacting to Nath's remark, Owaisi said, "The "veteran" Congress leader from Madhya Pradesh is clearly saying what Mohan Bhagwat says: that India is a Hindu nation."
“India is not a country of just one community. India was never a Hindu nation, is not and will never be Inshallah. Hate is being trafficked in “Mohabbat Ki Dukan”,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
{{/usCountry}}“India is not a country of just one community. India was never a Hindu nation, is not and will never be Inshallah. Hate is being trafficked in “Mohabbat Ki Dukan”,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
{{/usCountry}}“Where did they get the right to label others as B-Team? Even if the BJP loses tomorrow, will there be any reduction in this hatred?”
Kamal Nath and his son Nakul, a Lok Sabha MP from Chindwara, attended the congregation of controversial godman Dhirendra Shastri, triggering criticism from Congress allies.
RJD national vice president Shivanand Tiwary, a veteran socialist leader, underscored Shastri's advocacy for 'Hindu Rashtra' and claimed that the gesture of Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath has led to discomfiture in Bihar's ruling 'Mahagathbandhan' in which the party is a junior ally.
"Kamal Nath is said to be the chief ministerial candidate of Congress in Madhya Pradesh. The welcome accorded to the godman by him and his son is difficult for Mahagathbandhan to digest", Tiwary said here in a video message.
Tiwary said, "Shastri has, on several occasions, favoured making the country a Hindu Rashtra. He reiterated the view when he held a congregation in Patna a few months ago".
"Clearly, the godman's views are at variance with that of the Mahagathbandhan which holds that the country must be run as per the Constitution", asserted the former Bihar minister.