Former minister says BJP’s version of Hinduism is a minority view; that there are many Hindus who have a much more inclusive vision.
New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi visited several temples on the assembly campaign trail in Gujarat to neutralise Hindutva, party MP Shashi Tharoor said Tuesday. Now that leaders from both the Congress and the BJP go to temples, it is a level playing field, Tharoor said.
“Now that it’s established both go to temples, let’s talk about other issues like the economy,” Tharoor said at the launch of P. Chidambaram’s book Speaking Truth to Power.
Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Somnath Temple in November had triggered controversy with the BJP alleging that he had signed in a vistor’s register meant for non-Hindus. Several senior Congress leaders had come to his defence, claiming Rahul Gandhi was a true Hindu. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had gone to the extent of saying Rahul was a janeu dhari or one who wears the sacred thread.
Commentators had said Rahul Gandhi’s temple visits represented a softer version of Hindutva and muddied the election campaign as the discussion tended to centre on how many temples a political leader visited than their poll pitch. Analysts had also criticised the Congress for what they said was following in the footsteps of the BJP and appealing to the religious sentiments of voters.
Asked about the criticism, Tharoor said: “A conversation about Hinduism is unavoidable in India at present. Why would we want to cede and abdicate that space to someone else? There are many versions of Hinduism.”
“Not everyone is happy with the version of Hindutva that the BJP is peddling. There are Hindus out there who disagree with it,” said Tharoor, who has recently authored a book Why I Am a Hindu.
He said that the version of Hinduism these Hindus believe in is more inclusive and has supporters across the country. “BJP’s Hinduism is a minority’s view, which is displacing the larger, more accommodating view of Hinduism in the country. We are countering it with an all-inclusive one,” he said.
It is not a minority view, it is the congress which practiced and encouraged divisive politics and its a fact. A united India has never been on the congress agenda. BJP is probably taking advantage of the fact that congress has done appeasement politics and never been secular. Rahul Gandhi might be a good human being but the party cannot force him on the Indian people. Modi talks about Development and congress talks about Modi. The people are not fools. The congress has no right to question the BJP or pretty much anything, they push useless leaders on the people and they cannot expect us to blindly vote. Be fair and we will vote for the congress. Rahul Gandhi has th
e political maturity of school head boy. Let him Grow up and we can think about it. Anti Modi press might praise him(RG) but people are not fools. Modi has not delivered on many promises but he may,hopefully. Rahul Gandhi cannot deliver anything and we know that. Give the people a better alternative. Why cant Shashi Tharoor be a candidate,hes smart,qualified,2 time MP,author,speaker and much more..BUT NO! The baton has to be passed on to family only. We are not congress subjects.
When Gandhi himself said hindus to die for muslims…and congress left no stine unturned to establish Gandhis fear of muslims…from last 65 years…and brainwashed generations to accept SICKularism for rhere political benifit….also used reservations to keep the DALIT OBC alive. …now if the government supports such existence…what can a common man like u and me can do! !…its God send thst BJP vame in power. ..so we are able to fet dignity to be hindus…!! For Congress except power nothing was important. ..every leader in congress ibow rhat Congress is go8ng to be history soon !! At least now let hindus become one and support hindutva over Secularism! ! JAI HIND
Sir,Mr. Shashi Tharoor ,giving a justification that the act of visiting temples by your party president is to neutralise the rising hindutva campaign in recent Gujrat election is vague and unacceptable. In aligning with practices that your opponents (BJP)do in order to oppose their way of propogating a propaganda is again an impeasement and digression from the topics of development. These activities are adding on to the identity crisis congress is experiencing today comparing to Nehruvian era. I say,doing such things will act as a positive reinforcement to communal forces distorting the social fabric of country. If your party comes to power in future i dont want it to be in form of a disguised BJP.