Hinduism and Hindutva are different, Congress' ideology overshadowed by BJP, RSS: Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi said that the "hateful ideology of RSS and BJP has overshadowed the loving, affectionate and nationalistic ideology of Congress Party".

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New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday (November 12) said that his party’s “loving, affectionate and nationalistic ideology” has been overshadowed by BJP and RSS’s “hateful ideology”. 

Speaking during a training program of 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan' via video conferencing, Gandhi also pointed out the difference between Hinduism and Hindutva. “What is the difference between Hinduism & Hindutva, can they be the same thing? If they're the same thing, why don't they have the same name? They're obviously different things. Is Hinduism about beating a Sikh or a Muslim? Hindutva of course is.” ANI quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying. 

Further, he said that Congress’ ideology has been overshadowed because they did not propagate it “among our own people aggressively”. “Today, whether we like it or not the hateful ideology of RSS & BJP has overshadowed the loving, affectionate and nationalistic ideology of Congress Party, we have to accept this. Our ideology is alive, vibrant but it has been overshadowed,” the Congress MP stated. 

"Our ideology has been overshadowed because we've not propagated it among our own people aggressively," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi added during a training program of 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan' via video conferencing

Source: Indian National Congress (INC) pic.twitter.com/66N2oIfUDT — ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2021

Rahul Gandhi’s remarks come amid controversy that erupted due to a passage in veteran Congress leader Salman Khurshid’s book 'Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times'. BJP has pulled up Congress and demanded the expulsion of Khurshid from the party for reportedly comparing Hindutva with the “jihadist Islam of terrorist groups such as ISIS and Boko Haram” in his book. 

In a press conference on Thursday, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said Khurshid's book on Ayodhya has hurt "religious sentiments of people". The book by former Union minister Khurshid on the Ayodhya verdict was launched on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a Delhi-based lawyer has filed a complaint with the Delhi Police seeking registration of an FIR against Khurshid on the matter, PTI reported. 

(With agency inputs)