Rebuked by Rahul, Joshi apologises
VETERAN CONGRESSMAN HAD SAID ONLY BRAHMINS CAN SPEAK ABOUT HINDUISM
Veteran Congress leader C.P. Joshi was yesterday asked to apologise by party president Rahul Gandhi for his controversial comment that “only Brahmins know enough to talk about Hinduism”, directly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rahul slammed Joshi’s remarks as “casteist” and asked him to express regret.
Joshi had reportedly said that Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Uma Bharti and Hindu activist Sadhvi Ritambhara belonged to lower castes and thus knew nothing of Hinduism.
“Uma Bharti is a Lodhi, and she talks about Hinduism; Modi talks about Hinduism. It is only Brahmins who don’t talk about it. The country is being misled. Religion and governance are two different things. Everyone has the right to practise their religion, but it is only the Brahmins who are learned and know of Hinduism,” Joshi had said while addressing a public gathering in Rajasthan on Thursday.
He further alleged that BJP leaders behaved as if they were an authority on Hinduism. “They say a Congress person can’t be a Hindu. Who gave them the authority to issue certificates? Have they opened a university? If anyone knows about religion then its Brahmins. BJP is just misguiding the people by such moves,” Joshi had remarked.
‘Fabricated use’
Reacting to this, Rahul said that Joshi’s statement was against the ideals of the Congress party. “Our party leaders should not give any statement that hurts any section of the society. I am sure Joshi ji will realise his mistake, keeping the party’s principles in mind. His remark is contrary to Congress party’s ideals. He should express regret over his remarks,” tweeted.
Joshi, a prominent Brahmin face of the Congress, later accused BJP of twisting his statement. “I strongly condemn the fabricated use of my statement by BJP. I did not mean to offend anyone,” he tweeted.
However, he apologised for his comment in a tweet, hours later: “Out of respect for the Congress beliefs and workers’ sentiments, I apologise if my comments hurt any section of the society.” Joshi is contesting the legislative assembly election from Nathdwara district of Rajasthan. The state goes to the polls on December 7.
Meanwhile, reacting to Joshi’s comment, BJP legislator Harsh Sanghavi said yesterday: “Shameful statement by Congress Leader C.P. Joshi! It implies [he is asking] what does a lower caste person like Prime Minister Narendra Modi know about Hinduism as only Brahmins are true custodians of Hinduism.”
A day earlier, Joshi had claimed that only a Congress prime minister can build the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. “It was late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi who opened the lock of the Babri mosque premises and allowed religious rites inside the disputed structure at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. Thus only a Congress PM can get the temple built,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi | Congress president