Former Indian foreign minister Salman Khurshid’s house was set ablaze a few days after he noted the similarities between Hindutva and the ideologies of extremist terrorist groups such as Daesh. Interestingly, Khurshid had earlier noted that leaders from the BJP and other organisations that follow or promote Hindutva had intentionally mistranslated his use of the word ‘similar’ to mean ‘same’. However, after the attack on his house, it appears the Hindutva activists have proven him wrong. Committing a terrorist attack to show how offended they are at being compared to terrorists is audaciously ironic.
In an interview before the attack, Khurshid had also said, “Those who misuse religion, irrespective of what religion they follow, are the enemies of religion,” before noting that real Muslims have no problem when someone criticises groups such as Daesh and Boko Haram. “It seems that some people are trying to defame Hinduism. They are enemies of Hinduism and are afraid that their truth will come out. They will ban any book which reveals their truth,” he added while speaking at a Hindu temple. To his credit, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi backed Khurshid. “I have read the Upanishad and nowhere is it written to kill a man. But I can see it in Hindutva,” he said, before adding, “Why do Hindus need Hindutva when they follow Hinduism? Is Hinduism about beating a Sikh or Muslim person? No. But Hindutva is.”
Yet the BJP again showed their true colours by claiming Gandhi was somehow attacking Hinduism and accusing him of having “a pathological hatred for Hindus”, when he was literally praising the actual Hindu faith and religious texts. But the BJP has firmly established its capacity to turn lies into truth with help from its cronies in the Indian media. This has helped convince millions of moderate Hindu voters that Hindutva will help India return to the heavily fictionalised glory of the past, and this is why, despite the remarkable incompetence that has made Modi’s government one of the worst-performers in Indian history, he still won reelection and maintains high popularity.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2021.
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