Congress leader and author Shashi Tharoor, speaking said that Hindu religion is about Hinduism and not about spreading Hindutva ideology.
Speaking at a session- 'Andhakar Kaal: Colonialism and its After Effects'- at the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), Tharoor criticising Modi and the Prime Minister's ideology said "The prime minister says the Constitution is his holy book, and at the same time, he hails Deendayal Upadhyaya, who did not believe in the Constitution. One can either believe in Constitution or hail Deendayal Upadhyaya".
"Hinduism cannot be left to Hindutva but the current government seeks uniformity and not "unity in diversity, " Tharoor said in the front lawns of Diggi House.
Hailing thinkers like Swami Vivekananda, he said, "We can be rigid followers of any religion while at home but in public we need to be balanced".
Further talking about his book, Why I am a Hindu, Tharoor believes that Hinduism is a religion that allows one right to question.
"How such a wonderfully capricious faith, so open, so liberal can be reduced by some into a badge of identity akin to that of the British football hooligans, I don't know, but I don't want any part of it," he said.
The fourth day at JLF turned out to be an engaging and entertaining day of a diverse blend of literature and ideas.
The day also witnessed a jam-packedd audience in the session 'The Perils of Celebrity' where Soha Ali Khan and her mother Sharmila Tagore were in conversation with Sonjoy Roy.
The JLF, sponsored by Rajasthan Tourism will see brainstorming sessions on its 5th day on Monday.
Some of the prominent speakers on the final day will be Jeet Thayil, Pavan K Verma, Sachin Pilot, Shiv Aroor and travel writer Tripti Pandey.
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