Former Union home minister and Congress veteran Shivraj Patil has stoked controversy with his recent claim that the concept of 'jihad' finds mention not only in the Quran but in the Bhagwad Gita and in Christianity as well.
At a book launch event in the national capital on Thursday, Patil said that Lord Krishna also taught lessons of jihad to Arjun in a part of Gita in the Mahabharat.
Patil's remarks have drawn flak from the BJP which has hit out at the Congress for "Hindu hatred" and "votebank politics."
"It's said there is a lot of discussion on Jihad in Islam religion... Even after all efforts, if someone doesn't understand clean ideas, then power can be used. It is not just in the Quran Sharif, but also in the Mahabharata of which Gita is a part," Patil said.
"Shri Krishna also talks to Arjuna about jihad. It is not like this is only in the Quran Sharif or the Gita but in Christianity also it is written...Christ has said that I have not come here to establish peace but I have come here with sword," Patil said.
Speaking in Hindi, the Congress leader said that "if even after explaining everything, people do not understand and they are arriving with weapons then you cannot run, you cannot call that jihad and you cannot call it wrong, this is what must be understood, there should not be this concept of making people understand with weapons in hand."
Patil who was Union home minister from 2004 to 2008 and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 1996 was addressing the audience at a book launch of Congress leader and former Union Minister Mohsina Kidwai. Among the other dignitaries present at the launch were Shashi Tharoor, Digvijaya Singh, Farooq Abdullah and Sushil Kumar Shinde.
Meanwhile, BJP has hit out at the "votebank politics" of the Congress.
"After AAP's Gopal Italia & Rajendra Pal, not to be outdone in Hindu hatred & votebank politics, Congress' Shivraj Patil says Shri Krishna taught "Jihad" to Arjun! Congress coined Hindu/Saffron terror, opposed Ram Mandir, Questioned Ram JI's existence, said Hindutva = ISIS," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla tweeted.
( With inputs from ANI )
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