“We do not align with fake Hindutva portrayed by BJP”: Sanjay Raut backs Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in Parliament

New Delhi [India], July 2 (ANI): A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in the Parliament created a political uproar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut backed his words stating that the leaders of the INDIA bloc do not align with the “fake Hindutva” portrayed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“Yesterday, Rahul Gandhiji said that Hindutva is not equal to the BJP. Hindutva does not promote spreading hatred. We do not align with the fake Hindutva portrayed by the BJP”, Raut said while addressing the media here in the national capital on Tuesday.

Falling in line with Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader further added that the former said in the Parliament that ‘Hindutva’ is a much wider term.

“He did not say anything wrong about the Hindus. Those who consider themselves Hindus should hear again that Rahul Gandhiji had said that ‘Hindutva’ is a much wider term and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won’t understand this”, he said.

On Monday, Rahul Gandhi’s maiden speech in Lok Sabha as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha generated a lot of political heat with BJP leaders accusing him “of speaking lies, misleading the House and terming the entire Hindu community violent” and the Congress hitting back with counter allegations against the Modi government.

The two Houses took up the debate on the motion of thanks on the President’s address with PM Modi slamming Rahul Gandhi during his speech. “Calling the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious matter,” PM Modi said.

Home Minister Amit Shah demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi.

While the BJP held a press conference later to denounce Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, Congress also held an evening presser to slam the ruling party at the Centre.

Rahul Gandhi launched a multi-pronged attack on the BJP targeting it over its remarks during the Lok Sabha campaign, the NEET-UG controversy, Agniveer scheme.

Participating in the debate on the Motion Of Thanks on the President’s Address, Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP-led government over the Agniveer scheme and claimed that Agniveer is not called a ‘jawan’ and said that Agniveers serving for a period of four years will not get a pension.

“One Agniveer lost his life in a landmine blast but he is not called a ‘martyr’… ‘Agniveer’ is a use and throw labourer,” Rahul Gandhi alleged, attacking the BJP-led NDA government over the scheme,” he had said.

He also called the Hindu symbol ‘Abhayamudra’ which gestures fearlessness, reassurance and safety, as the symbol of the Congress party.

“Abhayamudra is the symbol of Congress…The Abhayamudra is the gesture of fearlessness, is 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, untruth…Aap Hindu ho hi nahi,” the Congress leader said.

“It is written in the Hindu religion; do not shy away from the truth, stand with the truth”, he added.

Gandhi’s remarks witnessed brickbats from the BJP leaders as they accused the Congress leaders of “spreading lies” and demanded an apology from his side.

Meanwhile, PM Modi will deliver his reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in the lower house of Parliament later today.

JP Nadda, MoS Jadhav Prataprao Ganpatrao, Jitin Prasada, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, Ram Nath Thakur, Nityanand Rai, Satya Pal Singh Baghel, Shobha Karandlaje, BL Verma, L Murugan, Ajay Tamta, Kamlesh Paswan, Ravneet Singh will lay papers on the table in Lok Sabha today.