Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded sharply to Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi's 'Hindu' comments during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Modi accused Gandhi of perpetuating a "conspiracy" to falsely portray Hindus as violent, stating that such allegations would be remembered for centuries.
He rebuked Gandhi directly, stating, "Jiske darshan hote hai uske pradarshan nahi hote (the deity who is worshipped and sought, their depiction is not used to gain publicity)".
"There is a deliberate attempt underway to malign Hindus with baseless accusations of violence. This narrative reflects your culture, character, and divisive mindset. Such actions against Hindus will not be forgotten by our nation," Modi asserted.
"Their entire ecosystem has made it fashionable to degrade and mock Hindu traditions," Modi continued, highlighting the gravity of insults directed towards Hindu Gods and Goddesses. "Insulting our deities in an affront to 1.4 billion people in our country. This mockery for personal political gain cannot be forgiven," he added.
"After coming to power in 2014, the biggest challenge before the country has been the Congress as well as its eco-system. I want to warn this eco-system that its every conspiracy will be answered in its own language, the country will never accept anti-national conspiracies," PM Modi said.
Reflecting on recent political discourse, Modi urged Hindu society to consider the implications of such "derogatory" remarks. "Yesterday's proceedings have compelled Hindu society to ponder whether this is a prelude to experimentation," Modi remarked in the Lok Sabha session.
In response to Gandhi's earlier criticisms of the BJP-led government and alleged assaults on the idea of India, Modi countered that these claims constituted a "systematic attack". Gandhi had accused the government of targeting those who opposed concentrations of power and wealth, as well as those who defended the Constitution.
"These are the people who tried to coin the term Hindu terrorism. Their partners compare Hinduism with words like dengue, and malaria. The country will never forgive them. As part of a well-planned strategy, their entire system has made it fashionable to insult, humiliate, and degrade Hindu tradition, Hindu society, the culture, and heritage of this country...After seeing yesterday's scenes in the House, now even the Hindu society will have to think whether this insulting statement is a coincidence or is it preparation for an experiment, the Hindu society will have to think," the PM said.
"Hindus are tolerant. This is the reason why India's democracy has flourished. It is a serious matter that today a conspiracy is being hatched to accuse Hindus falsely. It was said that Hindus are violent. Are these your (Congress) sanskars?" he added.
Gandhi also linked the Hindu symbol 'Abhayamudra' to the Congress party, describing it as a gesture of "fearlessness," "reassurance," and "safety" across various religions. He criticised those who profess Hinduism yet advocate "violence" and "deceit".
Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, PM Modi said, "I pray to God to give them wisdom. I also hope that the 'Baalak buddhi' also gets wisdom. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the President's Address and to you for giving me time to explain in detail and nobody can suppress the voice of truth. Truth cannot be suppressed like this."