- India,
- 10-Dec-2024 09:00 AM IST
Iltija Mufti Statement: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's daughter and PDP leader Iltija Mufti's statement on Hindutva has sparked controversy. Many leaders and religious organizations, including Bageshwar Dham's Peethadheeshwar Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, have reacted strongly to her statement.Iltija's controversial statementIltija Mufti described Hindutva as a philosophy of hatred. She said that there is a big difference between Hindutva and Hinduism. Linking Hindutva to the ideas spread by Veer Savarkar in the 1940s, Iltija alleged that its aim is to establish the supremacy of Hindus. She also said that the slogan "Jai Shri Ram" has now become more synonymous with incidents like lynching than Ramrajya.Dhirendra Shastri's counterattackPandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri reacted sharply to this statement and said, "Hindutva is not a disease, but it is a medicine for the whole world." He described Hindutva as a positive ideology of living, which promotes the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" and "Narayan in man". Shastri personally attacked Iltija and said that she needs to get her mentality treated.BJP demands: Apology and restrained languageJammu BJP has also criticized this statement calling it insulting. BJP leader Ravinder Raina said, "There can be differences in politics, but the use of such language is unacceptable. Iltija Mufti should apologize for her statement."Debate on Hindutva and HinduismIltija Mufti's statement has once again fueled the discussion about the difference between Hindutva and Hinduism. While Hinduism gives the message of tolerance, love, and compassion, Hindutva is seen as a political ideology. This controversy has raised new questions at the social and political level.Public reactionThis entire episode has sparked a fierce debate among the general public and political corridors. While on one hand Hindutva supporters called Iltija's statement an attack on the cultural unity of India, on the other hand some people called it their right to express their views.ConclusionIltija Mufti's statement and the reactions to it are an example of how sensitive religious and cultural issues are in Indian politics. The debate on Hindutva and Hinduism has now become the center of discussion not only on religious but also on political and ideological platforms. This episode has once again raised the question whether controversies related to rhetoric can be transformed into healthy dialogue?