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Gandhi’s speech, marked by an unprecedented display of religious imagery, drew swift condemnation from the ruling NDA coalition after he accused the BJP and RSS of projecting violence and hatred under the guise of Hinduism.
NEW DELHI: In a dramatic session at the Lok Sabha on Monday, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi ignited a storm of controversy with his pointed remarks on Hinduism, triggering sharp responses from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Gandhi’s speech, marked by an unprecedented display of religious imagery, drew swift condemnation from the ruling NDA coalition after he accused the BJP and RSS of projecting violence and hatred under the guise of Hinduism.
Holding up a poster of Lord Shiva, Gandhi asserted, “Abhayamudra is the symbol of the Congress…The Abhayamudra is the gesture of fearlessness, the gesture of reassurance and safety, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss in Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and other Indian religions… All our great men have spoken about non-violence and finishing fear… But, those who call themselves Hindu only talk about violence, hatred, and untruth…you are not Hindus.
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Prime Minister Modi intervened, objecting strongly to Gandhi’s characterization of Hindus as violent. “Calling the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious matter,” Modi retorted, as the debate grew increasingly heated.
The Congress leader defended his stance, dismissing the BJP and PM Modi as not representative of all Hindus. “If you look at Lord Shiva’s image, you know Hindus can never spread fear and hatred,” Gandhi countered amidst uproar in the house.
Home Minister Amit Shah demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi, asserting, “The Leader of the Opposition has categorically said that those who call themselves Hindu talk of violence and do violence. He doesn’t know that crores of people proudly call themselves Hindu. Connecting violence with any religion is wrong. He should apologise,” he said.
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The session, marred by chaotic scenes and objections from both sides of the aisle, highlighted deep divisions over religious rhetoric and political messaging. Speaker Om Birla intervened at several points, reprimanding Gandhi for displaying religious symbols in the house, a move met with criticism and support from different quarters.
Gandhi’s speech also touched on broader political issues, including criticism of the government’s policies and accusations of militarisation. He lambasted the Agnipath scheme, labelling it as exploitative of soldiers and detrimental to national interests. He said that the Centre was using soldiers as “use-and-throw” labour.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh interjected, urging Gandhi to refrain from misleading the house on policy matters. “When our government comes, we will scrap the Agnipath scheme,” Gandhi affirmed, accusing the BJP of exacerbating tensions in regions like Manipur.
As reactions continue to pour in from across the political spectrum, the fallout from Rahul Gandhi’s controversial remarks promises to resonate in the days ahead.
