Assam Governor's comment indicates BJP's ideology: Congress

The Congress Party on Sunday alleged that PB Acharya's remark indicates the thinking of the BJP and RSS.

New Delhi: The Congress Party on Sunday alleged that Assam Governor PB Acharya's 'Hindustan is only for Hindus' remark indicates the ideology and the thinking of the BJP and RSS.

"It is not at all surprising that a statement has come from no less than a constitutional functionary, a Governor, which is clearly indicative of the way the RSS and the BJP functionaries think and continue to think even after assuming a constitutional post," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the media here.

The Congress leader further said it seems the Governor has forgotten that he is holding a constitutional post.

"He says not that Hindustan is for Indians but Hindustan is for Hindus. If that was so, I ask myself that what is the difference between the 'two nation theory' that led to the partition of this country and in India's standing to a tall proud democracy in practice to Pakistan where they practice this very theory," he added.

Singhvi also used the occasion to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"This shows the true thinking of Prime Minister Modi, of his Cabinet colleagues, of the BJP, of the RSS and of all the so-called 'parivar' members," he added.

The Assam Governor had during a book launch yesterday said that 'Hindustan is for Hindus' and that the name of a single Bangladeshi should not be in the updating of the National Register for Citizens (NRC).

Acharya's comment came in reply to a question on updating the NRC list and on the controversy surrounding the Centre's notification of allowing religious minorities from Pakistan and Bangladesh fleeing persecution to seek shelter in India.

"Hindustan is for Hindus. There is nothing wrong with that. Hindus from different countries can stay here. They cannot be outsiders. There is nothing to be feared about that. But how to accommodate them is a big question and we should think about that," he said.