Post-partition on religious lines, India a Hindu Rashtra: BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya

Vijayvargiya said that India was partitioned on religious lines and after Pakistan was formed, the remaining country is a Hindu nation.

Indore: Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) General Secretary and senior party leader, Kailash Vijayvargiya has said that post-Independence and subsequent partition of the country in 1947 on religious lines, India constitutes a 'Hindu Rashtra'. Vijayvargiya made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Madhya Pradesh's Indore on Tuesday.

“When India was divided, it was on this issue (on religious lines). After partition, Pakistan was formed and the remaining country is a Hindu nation,” the BJP leader said. He was responding to a question on the demand of religious leaders in the country to declare India a 'Hindu Rashtra'. In a bid to substantiate his claim that India was a Hindu Rashtra post-partition, the BJP leader said that a Muslim friend of his hailing from Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal recites the Hanuman Chalisa every day and also visits a Shiva temple.

Vijayvargiya said he asked his Muslim friend over the inspiration worship Lord Hanuman and Lord Shiva to which his friend replied that he was inspired from history of his family. “He told me that his ancestors were Rajputs from Rajasthan and some of his relatives are still Rajputs living in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh,” Vijayvargiya said.

He however did not reveal his 'Muslim friend'. Over a question on the operation against pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh in Punjab, Vijayvargiya said that the Centre and state were working in tandem which he said is “bearing good results”. The BJP leader further said that he is planning to form a 'Hanuman Chalisa Club' to “wean away the youth from drugs”.