Latest news with #anti-Ram
Indian Express
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Rahul Gandhi: Wasn't there… but ready to take responsibility for 1984 riots
From taking 'responsibility' for the anti-Sikh riots to saying that US president Donald Trump 'being within his rights' in negotiating on trade tariffs to China and Pakistan being 'fused', Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi touched upon a variety of topics in his discussion at Brown University (US) last month. Gandhi's interaction at Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs with Ashutosh Varshney, a professor at the university, on April 21 was uploaded on Sunday. On a question about 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Congress's relationship with the community, he said: 'As far as the mistakes the Congress party have made are concerned, a lot of them happened when I was not there. But I am more than happy to take responsibility for everything bad that the Congress has done in its history.' On reconciliation with the community, he said: 'I have publicly stated that what happened in the 1980s was wrong. I have been to Golden Temple multiple times. I have an extremely good relationship with the Sikh community in India and a loving relationship with them,' said Gandhi who started the interaction by saying that the idea of India as a Union of states 'is under systematic attack by a narrow ideology'. On the caste census, Gandhi said, 'It is the first step. I was shocked with what we found (in Telangana caste census)… It will transform the way we think about development and politics'. He went on to say, '… All our mythological figures – Lord Ram was of that type where he was forgiving and compassionate. I don't consider what the BJP says to be the Hindu idea at all… It is much more pluralistic, embracing, affectionate, tolerant and open.' The remarks referring to Lord Ram as a 'mythological figure' saw the BJP reacting with a 'Ram drohi' (anti-Ram) jibe and saying that the Opposition party opposed the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari asked him to change his party's name to 'anti-Hindu Congress'. 'The party that used words like Hindu terrorism, did not believe in the existence of Lord Ram and made every possible effort to not build the Ram temple in Ayodhya, its anti-Hindu face stands exposed today,' Bhandari told PTI. The BJP urged Gandhi to ensure the expulsion of Jagdish Tytler, Kamal Nath and Sam Pitroda from the party if he actually felt the 1984 riots were wrong. Asked about how India should respond to US President Donald Trump 's tariff policy, Rahul said: 'We don't know how it (India) is responding. Because they don't tell us these things. Donald Trump is negotiating. We should negotiate right back.' On the threat from Pakistan and China, Rahul said that 'now China and Pakistan are fused'. 'So, any conflict we have will probably involves both of them together,' he said, adding that China has monopolised manufacturing and Trump has 'diagnosed this problem accurately'.
India Today
04-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Rahul Gandhi calls Lord Ram 'mythological', BJP hits back with 'anti-Hindu' jibe
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sparked a row after he termed Lord Ram a "mythological figure" during an interaction at a US university. The remark did not go down well with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who lashed out at the party's 'anti-Hindu mindset' and termed Gandhi "anti-Ram".Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, made the remarks at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. The remark came in response to the question: How should secular politics which embraces all communities be formulated in an age dominated by Hindu nationalism?advertisementGandhi replied that none of the great social reformers and political thinkers in India have been bigots and added that he does not consider the BJP's idea as Hindu. "All our mythological figures, Lord Ram was of that kind. He was forgiving, he was compassionate. I don't consider what the BJP says to be the Hindu idea at all. I consider the Hindu idea to be much more pluralistic, much more embracing, much more affectionate, much more tolerant and open. There are people in every state and community who stood for those ideas, lived for those ideas and died for those ideas. Gandhiji is one of them. To me, hatred and anger against people come from fear. If you are not scared, you don't hate anybody," he Drohi CongressAb Ram Drohi CongressRahul Gandhi says Prabhu Ram is mythological or kalpanikThis is how and why they opposed Ram Mandir and even doubted existence of Prabhu Ram Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) May 3, 2025advertisementFurther, Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP and called them a "fringe group"."I don't view the BJP conception as a Hindu conception. In terms of thinking, they are a fringe group, now they have captured political power, they have got a huge amount of wealth and power, but they don't represent the large majority of Indian thinkers by any means," Gandhi a clip from the interview on social media, BJP leaders targeted the Congress MP and said that they even "opposed the construction of the Ram Temple."BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla wrote on X, "Insulting Hindus and Lord Ram has become the Congress party's identity. Those who rejected Lord Ram's existence through an affidavit, opposed the construction of the Ram Temple, coined the 'Hindu terror' phrase, have now said Rahul Gandhi is 'mythological'. Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi did not attend the Ram Temple consecration. This shows their anti-Ram and anti-Hindu mindset. They speak Pakistan's language, hurt the morale of the forces. They are anti-Ram and anti-India and the people won't forgive this."Pradeep Bhandari, another BJP spokesperson, said, "Prabhu Shri Ram was just a mythological figure - this is the mindset of Congress: mock Hindu faith, question Lord Ram, and then fake love for Sanatan during elections. Congress is blatantly Anti-Hindu!"advertisementBJP spokesperson CR Kesavan also shared a clip of Gandhi's remark on X and wrote, 'Rahul Gandhi's Congress led UPA Govt [2007] had filed an affidavit in SC stating no historical proof of Lord Ram. His ally DMK mocked Lord Ram saying there is no history which states which engineering college Rama studied nor what bridge he built."The affidavit BJP leaders referred to was filed in the Supreme Court in 2007 by the then UPA government saying that the Valmiki's tale Ramayana lacks historical proof.
NDTV
04-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Rahul Gandhi's "Lord Ram Mythological" Remark Draws BJP's "Anti-Hindu" Jabs
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remark, referring to Lord Ram as a mythological figure, has drawn a sharp response from the ruling BJP. The BJP has termed the Congress "Ram Drohi" -- anti-Ram -- and said the Opposition party opposed the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Mr Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, made the remark during an interaction at a US university. He was at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University and was asked a question: How should secular politics which embraces all communities be formulated in an age dominated by Hindu nationalism? In his reply, Mr Gandhi said none of the great social reformers and political thinkers in India have been bigots. "If you look at all great Indian social reformers and political thinkers, Buddha, Guru Nanak, Basava in Karnataka, Narayana Guru in Kerala, (Jyotirao) Phule, Mahatma Gandhi and BR Ambedkar, you see one streak. None of these are bigots. None of these people are saying we want to isolate people, all these people, the voices of whom are in our Constitution, are saying the same thing: carry everybody with you, satya (truth) and ahimsa (non-violence, this is the bedrock of indian tradition and history," Mr Gandhi said. Rashtra Drohi Congress Ab Ram Drohi Congress Rahul Gandhi says Prabhu Ram is mythological or kalpanik This is how and why they opposed Ram Mandir and even doubted existence of Prabhu Ram… — Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) May 3, 2025 "All our mythological figures, Lord Ram was of that kind, he was forgiving, he was compassionate, I don't consider what the BJP says to be the Hindu idea at all. I consider the Hindu idea to be much more pluralistic, much more embracing, much more affectionate, much more tolerant and open. There are people in every state and community who stood for those ideas, lived for those ideas and died for those ideas. Gandhiji is one of them. To me, hatred and anger against people come from fear. If you are not scared, you don't hate anybody," he said. Targeting the BJP, he said, "I don't view the BJP conception as a Hindu conception. In terms of thinking, they are a fringe group, now they have captured political power, they have got a huge amount of wealth and power, but they don't represent the large majority of indian thinkers by any means," Mr Gandhi said. BJP leaders have now shared an eight-second clip from Mr Gandhi's response, in which he referred to Lord Ram as a mythological figure, and targeted the Congress MP. "Insulting Hindus and Lord Ram has become the Congress party's identity. Those who rejected Lord Ram's existence through an affidavit, opposed the construction of Ram Temple, coined the 'Hindu terror' phrase, have now said Rahul Gandhi is 'mythological'. Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi did not attend the Ram Temple consecration. This shows their anti-Ram and anti-Hindu mindset. They speak Pakistan's language, hurt the morale of the forces. They are anti-Ram and anti-India and the people won't forgive this," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said on X. The affidavit Mr Poonawalla referred to was filed in the Supreme Court in 2007 by the then UPA government. "Valmiki Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas admittedly form an important part of ancient Indian literature, but these cannot be said to be historical records to incontrovertibly prove the existence of the characters and occurrences of events depicted therein," the Manmohan Singh government had said in an affidavit in the Ram Janmabhoomi case. Pradeep Bhandari, another BJP spokesperson, said, "Prabhu Shri Ram was just a mythological figure - this is the mindset of Congress: mock Hindu faith, question Lord Ram, and then fake love for Sanatan during elections. Congress is blatantly Anti-Hindu!"
News18
04-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Rahul Gandhi Calls Lord Ram 'Mythological', BJP Hits Back With 'Anti-Hindu' Jibe
Last Updated: BJP leaders launched a scathing attack at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying insulting Hindus and Lord Shri Ram has become the identity of the Congress. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sparked a row after he referred to Indian deities, including Lord Ram, as mythological figures. His remark came during an event at Brown University in the United States. In the viral clip, Gandhi was heard saying, '…All are mythological figures; Lord Ram was of that type, where he was forgiving, he was compassionate." As the video went viral, several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders slammed Gandhi for his remark. Sharing a part of the video, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the country will never forgive Gandhi for doubting the existence of Lord Ram. 'Rashtra Drohi Congress, Ab Ram Drohi Congress. Rahul Gandhi says Prabhu Ram is mythological or kalpanik. (Rahul Gandhi says Lord Ram is imaginary.). This is how and why they (Congress) opposed Ram Mandir and even doubted existence of Prabhu Ram…" Poonawala said that this is the biggest indication of the mindset of a party that is anti-Ram and anti-Hindu. Insulting Hindus and Lord Shri Ram has become the identity of the Congress. He mentioned that Congress has been questioning Lord Ram, opposing the Ram temple, and using terms like Hindu terror. 'Now another statement has come up where he says Lord Ram is mythological. This is the same language that Sonia Gandhi used during UPA government to break the Ram Setu. This is the biggest example of Congress being anti-Hindi and anti-India and the people of the country will never forgive him for this," Poonawalla said. BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan too shared a clip of Gandhi's remark on X and wrote, 'Rahul Gandhi's Congress led UPA Govt [2007] had filed an affidavit in SC stating no historical proof of Lord Ram. His ally DMK mocked Lord Ram saying there is no history which states which Engineering college Rama studied nor what bridge he built." First Published: May 04, 2025, 07:09 IST
