Hinduism not about killing innocents, Hindutva is, says Rahul Gandhi

In a scathing attack on the BJP and RSS ideology, top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that Hinduism is not about violently targeting "innocent" people but 'Hindutva' is and wondered why there are two words to describe both if they are the same as claimed by the right-wing.

At the same time, he admitted that the "divisive, hateful ideology" of the BJP and RSS has "overshadowed the loving, affectionate, nationalistic ideology" of the Congress, and said that they can "no longer not accept it".

Rahul's remarks came during his digital address to the delegates of the training programme organised by the Congress in Sevagram in Maharashtra's Wardha. His statement also came at a time senior leader Salman Khurshid equated the Hindutva supporters with jihadi fundamentalists like the Islamic State and Ghulam Nabi Azad finding fault with such a formulation.

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Rahul said that the Congress is following the ideology of the country but the overshadowing of their philosophy happened because they did not propagate it "progressively" among themselves as well as due to the "complete capture of the media and Indian nation" by those following Hindutva.

Targeting the RSS and BJP, he said, "Is there something in common between what Guru Nanak or Kabir said and Hindutva ideology? Is there something in common between Gandhi-ji or King Ashoka said and Hindutva ideology? What is the difference between Hinduism as we know it and Hindutva? Are they the same thing? Can they be the same thing? If they are the same thing, why don't they have the same name? Why do they have different names?"

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"Why do you use the word Hinduism, why not just use Hindutva if they are the same thing? They are obviously different things. Is Hinduism about beating a Sikh or a Muslim? Hindutva, of course, is. But is Hinduism about killing...in which book is it written? I have read the Upanishads. I have not seen it. Where is it written that you should kill an innocent man? I am unable to find this in Hindu scriptures, Islamic scriptures, Sikh scriptures. I can see it in Hindutva," he said.

The former Congress president advocated the need for training its leaders and workers and involving them in a conversation about what it meant to be a Congressman and what is the difference between being an RSS follower.

Emphasising the need to fight Hindutva ideology, he said, "our ideology is alive. It is vibrant but it has been overshadowed" and said that though some leaders may have a difference of opinion, he believed that training on ideology should be mandatory and all leaders and workers should undergo a "rigorous course" to develop a real understanding of what it is to be a Congressman."

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Rahul said that if the Hindutva followers have their icon in V D Savarkar, the Congress supporters have in Mahatma Gandhi.

Referring to a conversation he had with Uttarakhand leader Yashpal Arya, who returned to Congress, Rahul said the Congress leader told him that it was difficult to stay in the BJP and the saffron party did not want to change the society but to use those who join them. "Some people leave because of fear but they cannot stay there," he said.

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