Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi clashed in the Lok Sabha on Monday over contentious remarks made by Gandhi on Hinduism. The leader of the opposition’s comments, which allegedly linked Hindus with violence, sparked significant uproar among members of the treasury benches.
Rahul Gandhi’s statement, “Hinduism is not about spreading fear, hatred, and falsehoods. Those who call themselves Hindus are engaged in violence and hate round the clock,” ignited a vehement reaction in the Lower House. Prime Minister Modi, perhaps in a first, directly intervened to object, highlighting the gravity of Gandhi’s accusation by stating, “Calling the entire Hindu society violent is a serious issue.”
In a quick rebuttal, Gandhi clarified his position, asserting, “BJP and Modi are not the entire Hindu society. Narendra Modi is not the entire Hindu society. BJP is not the entire Hindu society, RSS is not the entire society, this is not BJP’s contract.” Gandhi aimed to separate the actions of the BJP from the broader Hindu community.
Throughout his address, Gandhi repeatedly invoked the image of Lord Shiva, urging, “darao mat (don’t scare people).” He emphasized that true Hinduism, as symbolized by Lord Shiva, rejects fear and hatred, whereas he accused the BJP of perpetuating these negative emotions around the clock. Gandhi criticized the BJP for allegedly threatening minorities and fostering violence against Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians. He stressed that all religions, including Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, advocate for courage and fearlessness.
Home Minister Amit Shah also condemned Gandhi’s remarks, defending the pride millions of people take in their Hindu identity. Shah questioned whether Gandhi believed all Hindus to be violent and reminded him of the Emergency and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, implying that Gandhi lacked the moral ground to speak on non-violence. Shah demanded that Gandhi apologize for his comments.
Despite the intense backlash from the treasury benches, Gandhi remained steadfast in his criticism of the government. He addressed various contentious issues, including the Agniveer scheme, the ongoing situation in Manipur, the farmers’ protests, demonetization, and the NEET controversy, continuing his relentless attack on the ruling administration.