Will try to prove my words on origin of ‘Hindu’: Jarkiholi
Bengaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Satish Jarkiholi on Thursday said he took back his statement on the origin of the word ‘Hindu’ to avoid a backlash for the party
Bengaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Satish Jarkiholi on Thursday said he took back his statement on the origin of the word ‘Hindu’ to avoid a backlash for the party. He added that he will be meeting historians in the coming days to prove his arguments.
“I will try to prove my words in the coming days. I will meet historians in this regard… I had spoken at a private function and I didn’t think it would become such a big issue. But, I am a leader in the Congress party. The party should not be affected by my statements. That’s why I have apologised and taken back my statement,” he said,
Jarkiholi said that the debate over the issue is not going to end. “Many have spoken to me. Even I have the responsibility of proving myself. I will do some research and I will convince my party leaders and everyone else. I have not jettisoned my principles,” he added.
He defended himself saying that he has not made a hasty statement. “I have done research before making the speech. There was pressure at the national and the state level to withdraw my statement and hence I apologised. I have discussed it with senior leaders. The party is bigger than me,” Jarkiholi said.
“The party will support me and the leaders are with me. My statements have become controversial. They have portrayed me and my party as anti-Hindu. I know who started it. I also realise that opposition parties will make an issue out of it. If it is left here, it is going to damage the party. There is a need for proving the facts and bringing out the truth,” he added.
This statement comes a day after Jarkiholi withdrew his remarks on the word “Hindu” and tendered an apology to those hurt by his remarks. On Sunday, he had said the word “Hindu” was derived from Persian and had a “dirty” meaning.
In a letter to chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday, Jarkiholi sought the setting up of a panel to probe the “conspiracy to defame” him by “misinterpreting” his remarks made at an event in Chikkodi.
“I had said that the term Hindu is of Persian origin. I raised questions like how it had entered India. I had said that, in articles by several writers, the term has connotations that could be considered very bad. I said there was a need for a debate on this issue,” said the letter.
“My statements were based on articles in Wikipedia, dictionaries and writings by historians. However, some vested interests are trying to portray me as anti-Hindu. There is a systematic conspiracy to defame me and damage my reputation. I am withdrawing my statement and expressing regret with the intention that confusion should not be created in the minds of the public,” he added.
In the letter, he also demanded an official inquiry into the origins of the term Hindu and the attempts to create confusion over his statement.
Responding to the statement, Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra said: “Ahead of assembly elections, Congress leaders are giving such statements to woo the minority communities. People will teach them the right lesson in the elections.”
Priyank Kharge, Congress MLA from Chittapur and a former minister for IT, tourism, and social welfare, said Jarkiholi was merely saying that the word Hindu has come from outside India. “He has said what is his personal view and it is not the party’s view. He has only said that word has come from outside India and he is ready to debate it as well. He is saying it after doing his research. He has also given instances of books where it has been mentioned so; the BJP should debate him on that. Instead, BJP is saying Congress is against Hindus. He is ready to debate, debate him,” said Kharge.