Garv se kaho ki mein hun ‘Christian Hindu’

Garv se kaho ki mein hun ‘Christian Hindu’

FPJ BureauUpdated: Saturday, June 01, 2019, 10:12 AM IST
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 Panaji :  Controversial comments made by two ministers of the BJP-led Goa government, one wishing for a Hindu nation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and another claiming India is already one, created an uproar both in the state assembly and across social media on Friday.

Minutes after the opposition Congress and an independent legislator staged a walked out demanding a clarification from Co-operation Minister Deepak Dhavalikar for his Thursday’s comments that India would become a Hindu nation if everyone supported Modi, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza dropped another bombshell, saying India was always a Hindu country and that he was a ‘Christian Hindu’.

“India is a Hindu country. All Indians in Hindustan are Hindus, including me, I am a Christian Hindu,” D’Souza, one of the senior most members of the minority community in the Bharatiya Janata Party in Goa, told reporters in the assembly complex.

The ‘Hindu nation’ comments found an instant echo amongst Hindu right wing groups, but also elicited flak from other politicians as well as civil society commentators on the social media. Earlier in the day, Leader

of Opposition Pratapsing Rane, while staging a walkout in protest against Dhavalikar’s comments, had said: “He (Dhavalikar) has taken oath on the Constitution which swears by the ‘Secular Socialist Democratic Republic’ principle enshrined in the preamble. How can he say India will become a ‘Hindu nation’ under Modi? He has to explain this to us.”

On Friday, however, Dhavalikar tried to make belated amends and said that the word “Hindu” had a “broad emeaning”, adding that he had no intention to hurt the feeling of people from other religions.

Dhavalikar’s colleague Lavu Mamledar, however, said that the “Hindu Nation” claim is wrong.

“If he has said Hindu nation, then it is wrong, because our country is secular. People of different castes, creed and religion stay in India,” he said.

On the social media, in a reaction to the comments by both D’Souza and Dhavalikar, a minority voice expressed regret at voting for the BJP in the last election.

“We have to blame the Congress for making us so desperate and hurling us into the arms of the BJP. The Congress was arrogant and corrupt owing to dynastic rule. Unfortunately, the cure was worse than the disease. A third alternative is the need of the hour, but it should not be a case of old wine in new bottle,” said Derrick Dias, a banker.

The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti meanwhile welcomed the comments. A formal statement released by the Hindu right wing organization said Dhavalikar’s statement gives “solace to millions of Hindus”.

“The issue of establishment of the Hindu Nation which was confined only to the Hindus till yesterday has attracted nationwide debate due to Dhavalikar’s statement,” it said.

Reacting to the shocking statement, Congress demanded a clarification from the Prime Minister and the Goa Chief Minister on the issue. “This shows the hidden agenda of the BJP. The Chief Minister must clarify if he agrees with Dhavalikar’s comments. The prime minister, who always tweets on every issue, should react to the statement as well,” Goa Congress spokesperson Durgadas Kamat said.

Christians account for nearly 26 percent of Goa’s population. — IANS

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