Jaipur: In a slip of tongue, Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara on Friday ended up speaking against 'Hindus and Hindutvawadis'. The statement, which came during a press conference of Congress in Jaipur, saw the state president refer to one of Rahul Gandhi's recent speeches regarding the difference between Hindu and 'Hindutvawadi'.
"As Rahul Gandhi says, our fight is against Hindu and Hindutvawadis", the incident saw Dotasara bewildered but soon realizing the hitch, he added, "We are a party that takes all faiths along and believes in all religions. Congress believes that any citizen of the country can believe in any religion, they should follow it and continue their work".
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Congress' message of inclusivity arrives in the backdrop of the recent Karauli chaos that erupted during a motorcycle procession marking the Hindu new year. The situation saw stones pelted at the procession, with shops and vehicles burnt by those affected by the incident soon afterward. The Congress government in Rajasthan seems to be hitting back at appeasement accusations following the violence, with the Ashok Gehlot administration recently announcing that it will conduct recitals of Hanuman Chalisa on Hanuman Jayanti (April 16) and Ramayana on Ram Navami (April 10).
The presser, which saw Dotasara slipping, witnessed questions about the move, as well as Rahul Gandhi's speech at the anti-price rise rally held in Jaipur. "There is a collision of two terms in the country. One word 'Hindu', and the other, 'Hindutva'. I am a Hindu but not a Hindutvawadi. Mahatma Gandhi was a Hindu and Godse was a Hindutvawadi. Why did I give this speech to you? Because you are all Hindus, not Hindutvawadis. This country is a country of Hindus, not of Hindutvawadis and today if there is inflation, pain and misery in this country, then this is the work of Hinditvawadis", Gandhi said in his speech.
