Hyderabad: Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Saturday claimed that 'Hindu' is a geographical identity and all people living in the land between the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean are Hindus. The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Environment made the remarks at the 10th edition of the 'Digital Hindu Conclave' organised by Bharat Niti Organisation in Hyderabad.
"Many foreign scholars have agreed to the fact that our country is a land of knowledge. We all should be proud of being Indian. "I say Hinduism is a way of life and we should never restrict the word 'Hindu' to limited boundaries. Hindu is a geographical identity. All the people who live between the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean are Hindus," Choubey said. Besides Choubey, senior BJP leader Muralidhar Rao and party MP Manoj Tiwari were among those who attended the event. At the programme, Choubey said the presence of people from the north as well as southern states at the event symbolised the country's unity and strength.