BJP calls Patil's ‘jihad’ remark attempt to 'insult' Hindu religion; Congress calls it ‘unacceptable’

NEW DELHI: BJP and several Sangh Parivar outfits on Friday latched on to Congress leader Shivraj Patil's claim that Gita also spoke of Jihad, saying that it was yet another attempt to insinuate the Hindu religion by the opposition party, which disassociated itself from the remark, calling it “unacceptable”.
“Salman Khursheed compares Hindutva with ISIS and Boko Haram, Tharoor likened the Sanatan religion with Taliban and now Shivraj Patil compared the most revered book on humanity with fanaticism,” said BJP in a statement.
“What Shivraj Patil said is a symbol of their party's perverse and disgusting mindset. Bal Gangadhar Tilak saw Karma Yog-Shastra in Gita, Mahatma Gandhi saw Anasakti. But the people of Rahul Gandhi's Congress see jihad in it. Their mind is filled with vote bank,” said BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi.
Congress disowned Patil’s remarks. AICC spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said, “My senior colleague Shivraj Patil reportedly made some comments on Bhagavad Gita that are unacceptable. Subsequently, he clarified. Congress stand is clear. Bhagavad Gita is a key foundational pillar of Indian civilisation.” Ramesh attached a page from Jawaharlal Nehru’s ‘Discovery of India’ to stress the salience of Bhagwat Gita.
Trivedi said Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge or Sonia Gandhi should respond to Patil’s comments.
Another BJP spokesperson Prem Shukla said Patil’s statement reflected the general mindset of Congress leaders and the party’s politics of appeasement. “The remarks of the Congress leader show that the opposition party can stoop to any level for vote-bank politics,” he said.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said Congress leaders cannot think beyond Muslim appeasement.
“They justify jihad because of their personal interests and that is the reason why incidents of 'sar tan se juda (separation from the head)' are increasing in the country,” VHP Joint General Secretary Surendra Jain said.
He said, “ Lord Krishna had taught Karma Yoga to Arjuna in the Gita and it talks about welfare of the world, but if Congress leaders can see jihad in it, it is the result of their unfortunate thinking.”
At a book launch, Patil, a former Union minister and Congress veteran, stoked controversy with his claim that the concept of 'jihad' finds mention not only in the Quran but in Bhagwad Gita and Christianity as well.