Shankaracharya backs Rahul Gandhi after row over “Hindus are violent” remark
“We paid close attention to Rahul Gandhi’s whole speech. “He made it abundantly evident that Hinduism opposes violence,” the Shankaracharya remarked.
Days after Rahul Gandhi’s aggressive speech in the Lok Sabha, Swami Avimukteshwarananda, the 46th Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, has come out in support of the Congress leader. The controversy erupted during the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address when Rahul Gandhi accused BJP leaders of allegedly dividing people on communal lines.
The speech was denounced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who claimed that Rahul Gandhi had described the “entire Hindu community as violent.” Following a contentious debate in Parliament, the Speaker removed a number of divisive remarks from the record as a result of the allegation.
A different perspective was provided by the revered Hindu scholar Shankaracharya. “We listened intently to Rahul Gandhi’s whole address. He clearly emphasised that Hinduism rejects violence,” the Shankaracharya said on Sunday. In a video that went viral on social media, the Shankaracharya also criticised the selective dissemination of Mr Gandhi’s speech, and urged accountability for those who distorted facts. “Presenting only excerpts of Gandhi’s statement is misleading and unethical,” he said. He said those responsible should be punished. Priyanka Gandhi, a Congress MP and Rahul Gandhi’s sister, has also defended her brother from the accusations. “Rahul is never allowed to criticize Hindus. His remarks were targeted at the BJP and its leaders,” she said.
