New Delhi: Congress leader Salman Khurshid's new book on Ayodhya triggered a controversy on Thursday for comparing 'Hindutva' with ISIS and Boko Haram, with BJP leaders lashing out at the former union minister for doing "politics of appeasement".
A police complaint was also filed against the book.
In his book titled "Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times", Khurshid, in a chapter titled 'The Saffron Sky', said, "Sanatan Dharma and classical Hinduism known to sages and saints was being pushed aside by robust version of Hindutva, by all standards a political version similar to the jihadist Islam groups like ISIS and Boko Haram of recent years".
A photograph of the passage was shared by BJP's Amit Malviya, who said it was aimed at getting Muslim votes.
"Congress’ Salman Khurshid in his new book writes that Hindutva is similar to the jihadist Islamist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram. What else can we expect from someone whose party coined the term Saffron terror just to draw equivalence with Islamic jihad, to get Muslim votes?" Malviya, who heads the IT wing of BJP, said in a tweet.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra accused Khurshid of trying to create a controversy.
"Salman Khurshid must've published the book to purposely create a controversy. They support politics of appeasement. Congress leaders and Gandhi family are supporters of 'Tukde-Tukde' gang. They want country to be divided on the basis of castes," he said.
BJP Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia meanwhile held a press conference and slammed the Congress leader for hurting the sentiments of Hindus.
“The things that were said during the release of Khurshid’s new book not only hurt the sentiments of Hindus but also deeply hurt the soul of India,” said the BJP spokesperson.
While condemning Khurshid's remarks, the BJP spokesperson said Congress President Sonia Gandhi should immediately sack him.
“Why is it not Soniaji, such leaders should be immediately sacked from Congress? This sends a message in politics that you can be our opponent, but you cannot be the enemy of the country,” he said.
Attacking the senior party leaders, including Sonia and Rahul, he said what happened yesterday is to hurt the sentiments of the majority of the country, who are sacrificing in keeping the country intact.
He alleged that their sentiments have been hurt again and again at the behest of Sonia ji and Rahul ji and both the leaders must clarify the issue.”
Accusing the Congress for doing communal politics, he said “The governments of the Congress party, which remained in the country for 55 years after independence, have done communal politics only.”
Khurshid's book was released in Delhi on Wednesday, and was attended by former union ministers P Chidambaram and Digvijay Singh.
Chidambaram, at the book launch, remarked that after Supreme Court judgment on the Ram Janmabhoomi - Babri Masjid dispute, things took a predictable course. "Within a year or so everyone who was accused was acquitted. So like no one killed Jessica, nobody demolished Babri Masjid," Chidambaram said.
Digvijay Singh meanwhile attacked Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, and said that he wasn't religious. He also said Hindutva had nothing to do with Hinduism.
In November 2019, after years of court case, the Supreme Court ordered that the disputed land in Ayodhya be handed over to a trust to build the Ram Temple. (UNI)