Former Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and ex-Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the comparison of Hindutva with ISIS and Jihadist Islam in Salman Khurshid’s new book is factually wrong and an exaggeration. Azad’s comment comes after Khurshid’s statement created a political storm. Khurshid made the claims in his new book Sunrise Over Ayodhya.
“In Mr. Salman Khursheed’s new book, we may not agree with Hindutva as a political ideology distinct from the composite culture of Hinduism, but comparing Hindutva with ISIS and Jihadist Islam is factually wrong and an exaggeration,” said Azad on Twitter while disagreeing with his colleague.
Khurshid wrote in his book, “Sanatan Dharma and classical Hinduism known to sages and saints were being pushed aside by a robust version of Hindutva, by all standards a political version similar to the jihadist Islam of groups like ISIS and Boko Haram of recent years.”
The BJP has also slammed Khurshid over the claim. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia yesterday said that Khurshid’s book has hurt the religious sentiments of people. “In the book, Khurshid has compared Hindus to ISIS and Boko Haram. It is an attempt not just to hurt the feelings of the Hindus but to hurt India’s soul,” he said. Bhatia also said that the Congress party is like a poisonous spider that is weaving a web against Hindus.
BJP leader Amit Malviya said, “Congress’s Salman Khurshid in his new book writes that Hindutva is similar to the jihadist Islamist groups like ISIS and Biko 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?”
Congress’s Salman Khurshid in his new book writes that Hindutva is similar to the jihadist Islamist groups like ISIS and Biko 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? pic.twitter.com/3OikNQJ3qt
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 10, 2021
A Delhi-based lawyer Vivek Garg has also filed a complaint with the Delhi Police seeking registration of an FIR against Khurshid.
