Tensions escalated in Parliament on Monday as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, for what it termed as demeaning remarks against Hindus and misleading statements regarding the Agnipath recruitment policy for the armed forces.
Gandhi's remarks came during his address in the Lok Sabha debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address, where he accused the BJP of fostering communal divisions. He specifically criticised the treatment of Agniveers in the armed forces, alleging disparities in their recognition compared to other recruits.
“Our great leaders preached non-violence... those who claim to be Hindus only preach hatred... aap Hindu ho hi nahin (you are not even Hindu),” Gandhi asserted, directly targeting the BJP.
Brandishing a picture of Lord Shiva, a Hindu deity, Gandhi emphasised, “If you look at Lord Shiva's image, you'll understand that Hindus can never propagate fear and hatred... but the BJP spreads fear and hatred 24x7.”
The BJP swiftly condemned Gandhi's remarks, interpreting them as an attack on Hindus as a whole. Party president and Union Minister JP Nadda took to social media to demand an immediate apology from Gandhi. "Rahul Gandhi Ji must immediately APOLOGISE to all Hindus for terming them as violent," Nadda asserted, referencing previous alleged remarks by Gandhi abroad.
While the Congress clarified that Gandhi's statements were directed at the BJP and not Hindus in general, the BJP leadership remained adamant.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw accused Gandhi of misleading Parliament on several fronts, including remarks about armed forces policies and compensation issues. He further criticised Gandhi for what he termed as politicising religious sentiments by invoking images of Hindu gods in a political context.
"He (Gandhi) made objectionable statements in Parliament today. He falsely claimed that martyrs would not receive compensation under the Agniveer scheme, which is a blatant lie," Vaishnaw stated, highlighting what he described as a pattern of Congress undermining the armed forces.
Responding to the BJP's demands, Ayodhya MP Awadhesh Prasad defended Gandhi, asserting that his remarks were directed towards the BJP and RSS ideologies, not Hindus at large.
The heated exchanges in Parliament underscored the deepening political polarization and sensitivity surrounding religious sentiments in India's legislative discourse.