Hindutva is identity of those Indians living in India, says Kalraj Mishra
Stressing that even the Supreme Court in an order of 1995 had stated that Hindutva is 2,500 years old and a way of life, Union Minister for Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises Kalraj Mishra said confining Hindutva to any caste or community is wrong.
Further stoking the controversy triggered by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat's recent 'Hindutva' statement, which was reportedly seconded by Union Minister for Minorities Najma Heptulla, Union Minister for Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises Kalraj Mishra has said that Hindutva is the identity of those Indians living in India.
"It is unwise to link the idea of Hindutva with communalism. It would be narrow mindedness only," Mishra said in Varanasi. "Hindutva is a way of life? a very vast idea," he further said. "It is wrong to raise a clamour over this issue. Confining Hindutva to any caste or community is wrong", he added, stressing that even the Supreme Court in an order of 1995 had stated that Hindutva is 2,500 years old and "a way of life".
Making it more than clear that the Bharatiya Janata Party was returning to its old hardcore Hindutva ideology after winning the Lok Sabha elections, Mishra also supported the claim of BJP's Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath that 'love jehad' would be an issue in the by-elections to be held for 11 Assembly and one parliamentary seat in Uttar Pradesh on September 13. "We will certainly take this discussion to the people during our election campaign. Whatever Yogiji is saying must be taken seriously. It is a burning issue which needs to be addressed," he said. Interestingly, the BJP state executive committee at its convention last week in Mathura had avoided mentioning this phrase.
On Hindutva, RSS chief Bhagwat had recently said that those living in Hindustan should be known as Hindus. "Those living in elsewhere are identified by their countries. Then why shouldn't someone living in Hindustan will be identified as Hindus?" he had said.
On Thursday, Heptulla had reportedly echoed the same view. But she tried to downplay her statement on Friday, saying she was actually explaining that those living in Hindustan are Hindi, as they are known in Arabian nations. "I had said Hind is derived from Arabic and those living in Hind are Hindi. I didn't use the word Hindu," she had clarified.
Meanwhile reacting sharply to the statement of the right-wing leaders, Sunni cleric and member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board Khalid Rashid Firangimehli said, "It appears that these leaders want to bind every Indian into one religion. It is not only against the Constitution of India but also against the identity of a community. It is the beauty of India that the Hindus, Muslims and people of other religion practise their faiths with complete freedom. Any conspiracy against this freedom would be rejected."