'Unacceptable': Cong distances itself from Shivraj Patil's 'Jihad' in Gita remark

'Congress's stand is clear. Bhagavad Gita is a key foundational pillar of Indian civilisation', said Jairam Ramesh

Congress on Friday distanced itself from the remarks of senior leader Shivraj Patil that the concept of 'jihad' (holy war) in Bhagavad Gita too, saying it is "unacceptable" and the party believes that the text is a key foundational pillar of Indian civilisation.

Party General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said his senior colleague Patil has reportedly made some comments on Bhagavad Gita that is "unacceptable" and subsequently he has clarified.

"Congress' stand is clear. Bhagavad Gita is a key foundational pillar of Indian civilisation," he tweeted with an excerpt from Jawaharlal Nehru's Discovery of India where the country's first Prime Minister expressed his views on Bhagavad Gita.

Nehru has said that the message of the Gita is "not sectarian or addressed to any particular school of thought". He also said it was universal in its approach for everyone, Brahmin or outcaste.

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Earlier, BJP National Vice President Baijayant Panda tweeted, "This is a well-thought out ploy by the Congress to hurt Hindu belief and Sanatan dharma. What else would describe the brazen claim by former Home Minister Shivraj Patil that Lord Krishna “taught” jihad to Arjuna. Shameful hatred for Hindu tradition. I strongly condemn it."

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said in a tweet, "After AAP's Gopal Italia & Rajendra Pal, not to be outdone in Hindu hatred and votebank politics, Congress' Shivraj Patil says Shri Krishna taught 'Jihad' to Arjun! Congress coined Hindu/Saffron terror, opposed Ram Mandir, Questioned Ram-ji's existence, said Hindutva=ISIS."

Speaking at the launch of Congress veteran and former Union minister Mohsina Kidwai's biography, Patil claimed that it is said there is a lot of discussion of jihad in the religion of Islam. The concept comes to the fore when despite having the right intentions and doing the right thing, nobody understands or reciprocates, then it is said one can use force, he said.

"It is not just in Quran, but in Mahabharata also, the part in Gita, Shri Krishna also talks of jihad to Arjun and this thing is not just in Quran or Gita but also in Christianity," he claimed in his remarks in Hindi.

"If after explaining everything, people are not understanding, they are coming with weapons then you cannot run, you cannot call that jihad and you cannot call it wrong, this is what must be understood, there should not be this concept of making people understand with weapons in hand," the 87-year-old leader was quoted by PTI as saying.