Khurshid Book Row: Protesters call Congress leader anti-national; BJP leaders among 21 booked

A group of Hindu nationalists broke into Salman Khurshid's house in Nainital to demonstrate their protest against the release of his book 'Sunrise over Ayodhya: Nationhood in our times'. Khurshid's property was vandalised and his caretakers were physically abused during the protest. The vandals also raised several threatening slogans outside his house

Nainital (Uttarakhand): Around 21 people, including BJP leader Anand Chilwal and Rakesh Kapil, husband of Panchayat member Shobha Kapil, have been booked for vandalising Congress leader Salman Khurshid's house in Nainital. Over a dozen people vandalised and set the Congress leader's house on fire to protest against his book "Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in our times". The book has stirred the sentiments of right wing political groups in India.

According to the reports, 7 bullets were fired at the house by a group of 15 people, who also threatened its caretakers before burning down the doors and windows of the house and manhandled the caretakers. The senior Congress leader was not at home when the miscreants unleashed violence. The mob could be heard giving threatening slogans outside his house such as 'Desh ke gaddaro ko goli maaro' (Kill the anti-national), 'Salman Khurshid Murdabad' etc.

The harm done to the house can be clearly seen in the videos shot by the ETV Bharat team. The bullet holes are visible in the walls and windowpanes. The charred walls and destroyed doors can also be seen. One of the offenders can be spotted waving a BJP flag, while calling out derogatory slogans against Khurshid.

Read:ISIS and Hindutva are similar, not same: Salman Khurshid clarifies controversy over his new book

According to sources, the mob who barged into the property asked Khurshid's caretakers to present proofs of being Hindu. The caretaker's daughter, Vimla, said that the mob physically harmed her sick mother, and when resisted, they took out revolvers and threatened to kill the entire family. The family had to flee the place and they informed Khurshid about the incident over phone.

The police took record of the crime after Khurshid shared a video of the vandalisation on social media. DGI Kumaon, Neelesh Anand told in a statement that the police has made arrests under IPC sections 147, 148, 452, 436 and 504, and strict actions will be taken against the offenders.

Right-wing supporters lodge complaint

Khurshid's book has received staunch criticism from several right wing leaders, including a number of union ministers. The book criticises the religious polarisation happened in the country in the context of the historical Ayodhya verdict passed by the Supreme Court in November 2019.

Two lawyers from Delhi have also filed a complaint against Khurshid for comparing Hinduism with terrorism in his book. On the other hand, many other people have also opposed the comparison of Hindutva with terrorist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram in the book. The social media had picked up the Hindutva vs Hinduism debate trend after the launch of this book. A bunch of historians, intellectuals and writers have also registered their opinions about the definitions, etymology and meanings in the current context of both these words across media platforms.

While expressing his concern about his right to practise free speech on social media, he said "this cannot be Hinduism". "Shame is too ineffective a word. Besides, I still hope that we can reason together one day and agree to disagree if not more."