Apologise to the Hindus, Akhada Parishad tells Salman Khurshid

DEHRADUN:  The head of a prominent Akhada council, said to be the apex body of all 13 akhada sects, has asked Congress leader Salman Khurshid to apologise to the Hindu community for comparing Hindutva to the Islamic terror groups ISIS and Boko Haram.

Mahant Ravindra Puri, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP), said he would consider further steps after reading Khurshid’s book Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times.

“Salman Khurshid should apologise to the Hindus for the absurd and objectionable comparison. Seers and saints will not let any such acts create a schism in Indian society. Ours is a society of ‘Sanatan’ culture, which is for spreading peace and prosperity across the world,” said Mahant Puri.

Meanwhile, a forensic team of the state police on Tuesday visited Khurshid’s house that was vandalised and recovered seven empty cartridges of 32 bore bullets, one live . 32 bore bullet, blood samples on the glass window, ashes of inflammable substance and various other items.

The team also spotted broken glasses of seven windows and one burnt door. The police have already given round-the-clock protection to the property.

The Congress organised statewide protests against the alleged acts of vandalism. Party activists burnt effigies of the ruling BJP.

On Monday, a mob carrying BJP flags chanted ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogans and called Khurshid a Pakistani stooge.

They allegedly vandalised his residence in Satkhali Tiura village in Shitla area of Mukteshwar in Nainital district of Uttarakhand. More than 20 people have been booked in the incident, said the senior police officials.