Jaipur: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said India is a country of Hindus and not Hindutvadis, and called for their ouster so that ‘Hindus’ can run it again.
Addressing a rally that was also attended by party president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, he accused “Hindutvadi” Prime Minister Narendra Modi of backstabbing farmers and favouring a handful of industrialists
“This is a country of Hindus, not Hindutvadis,” he said at the meeting, a show of strength here just months ahead of assembly elections in key states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
“Hindutvadis have to be ousted once again and the rule of Hindus brought about in the country,” he told a packed stadium.
“I am a Hindu and not a Hindutvadi,” he said, drawing a distinction between the two terms, weeks after a similar attempt by him provoked controversy. A Hindu heart is filled with love and that of a Hindutvadi with fear and hatred, he said.
A Hindu is someone who is not afraid of anyone, embraces everyone, respects all religions and seeks the truth, he added.
Gandhi said Hindus cannot be suppressed. “It has not happened in 3,000 years and it will not happen now. We are not afraid of dying,” he said.
Lashing out at “fake Hindus”, he said a Hindu is one who searches for truth, even if he has to die for it — “Mar jaye ya kat jaye, Hindu satya ko dhoondata hai.” “Hindutvadis want power at any cost,” Gandhi said.
He also used the term “sattagrah”, or hunt for power, comparing it with that for truth – “Satyagrah.”
He said Congress governments had waived farm loans because farmers are the country’s backbone. And referring to the farmers’ protest which led to a government climbdown on three agri laws, Gandhi said the PM stabbed the farmers in the back “because he is a Hindutvadi”.(PTI)
