Salman Khurshids book comparing Hindutva with ISIS lands in controversy
- Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid has penned a book titled “Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times”
- The former minister’s book ruminates on the Ram Janmabhoomi movement
- Many in the BJP fold have taken exception to the alleged comparison between Hindutva and terror outfits like ISIS and Boko Haram
Salman Khurshid’s new book titled “Sunrise Over Ayodhya”
has run into controversy after two Delhi lawyers Vivek Garg and Vineet Jindal
filed a complaint against the former minister for allegedly ‘defaming
Hindutva’. The senior Congressman has been accused of comparing Hindutva with
global terror outfits such as ISIS and Boko Haram.
“Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times” ruminates on the
implications of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. It bases itself on the Supreme
Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute. Released on
Wednesday, the book launch event was attended by other senior Congress leaders,
including P Chidambaram and Digvijay Singh.
At the centre of the controversy is a chapter titled “The
Saffron Sky” which reads: “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 Islamic groups like ISIS
and Boko Haram of recent years.”
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT cell, shared a passage reportedly
from Khurshid’s book, stating: “Congress’s Salman Khurshid in his new book
writes that Hindutva is similar to the jihadist Islamist groups like ISIS and
Boko 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.”
In his complaint to the Delhi police, lawyer Vivek Garg states that the claims made in Khurshid’s book “reflect the true mindset of the Congress as they try to legitimise the radical elements of ISIS by creating an artificial equivalence with Hindus,” according to a Hindustan Times report.
“His statement printed in his book is itself self-explanatory and clearly discloses his commission of the cognizable offence. The language, intention of the said book authored by the alleged accused is an open case of sedition, conspiracy to wage war against India, promoting enmity between Hindus and Muslims…” Garg’s statement reads.
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