NEW DELHI:
Congress
leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday staunchly defended her brother,
Rahul Gandhi
, against
accusations
from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that he insulted
Hindus
in the Parliament. Priyanka clarified that Rahul's remarks were directed at the BJP and its leaders, not at the Hindu community.
"He cannot insult Hindus. He said it very clearly.
He talked about the BJP, he talked about BJP leaders," Priyanka Gandhi said while departing the Parliament building alongside her mother, Sonia Gandhi. This defense came after Rahul Gandhi's inaugural speech as the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The controversy erupted earlier when Rahul Gandhi remarked that those who identify themselves as Hindus are engaged in "violence and hate" round the clock. His comments sparked a significant backlash from the treasury benches, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasizing the gravity of labeling the entire Hindu society as violent.
Home minister Amit Shah demanded an apology from Rahul, insisting that his statement was offensive to the Hindu community. However, the Congress leader stood by his words, clarifying that his criticism was aimed at the BJP, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and Prime Minister Modi, not at Hindus as a whole.
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"The BJP, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) or Modi are not the entire Hindu society," Rahul Gandhi asserted, seeking to dispel the accusations.
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The other members of the opposition party also defended Rahul Gandhi, arguing that his comments were a critique of the BJP's policies and actions, rather than an affront to the Hindu faith.
Congress MP Kumari Selja also supported Gandhi, saying, "Rahul Gandhi only said the right thing. He said that the Hindus don't believe in violence and they (BJP) call themselves Hindus but why are they spreading violence?"
KC Venugopal, another Congress leader, further explained, "Today, Rahul Gandhi highlighted Lord Shiva in his speech. He narrated about who is a real Hindu. They (BJP) will use Hindus only for polarizing and winning elections. Rahul Gandhi said this very clearly but they (BJP) distorted it."
RJD leader Misa Bharti echoed similar sentiments, saying, "The BJP is trying to mislead everyone. He (Rahul Gandhi) did not make a remark against the Hindus."
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