Published By: Kavya Mishra
Last Updated: August 17, 2023, 00:02 IST
Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. (File photo/PTI)
Digvijaya Singh, however, criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), CM Chouhan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and asked whether they have taken the oath of the Constitution or of “Hindu Rashtra”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday targeted senior Congress leaders, Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath, alleging that they had nothing to do with Hindutva.
Digvijaya Singh, however, criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), CM Chouhan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and asked whether they have taken the oath of the Constitution or of “Hindu Rashtra”.
The chief minister was responding to a query on the recent remark made by Kamal Nath, who is chief of the Congress’s Madhya Pradesh, that since Hindus are in the majority in India Hindu Rashtra is “not a debatable issue”.
During an interaction with reporters at Hubli in Karnataka on Tuesday, Digvijaya Singh, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, accused the media of distorting Nath’s comment and added that those who took the oath of the Constitution but were talking about Hindu Rashtra should first resign.
When asked by reporters about Singh’s statement, CM Chouhan said, “Neither Digvijaya Singh nor Kamal Nath have anything to do with Hindutva, nor with the country or the society. They keep saying whatever they find right in order to reap the harvest of votes. They have nothing to do with anyone.” In Hubli, Singh said that the country belonged to everyone and people from every religion fought for the freedom of the country.
Singh alleged that the media distorted Kamal Nath’s statement.
“Whoever has taken the oath of the Constitution and occupies a post…If they talk about Hindu Rashtra, then they should first resign…,” Singh said.
In Bhopal on Wednesday, Singh once again accused the media of distorting Nath’s Hindu Rashtra remark.
“You people have misrepresented Nath’s statement. He never said what you people and the BJP are saying. I want to ask the BJP, PM, Home Minister, and CM whether they have taken the oath of the Constitution or of Hindu Rashtra?” Singh, who is Congress’s Rajya Sabha member, said.
On August 8, some reporters had sought Nath’s comment on spiritual preacher Dhirendra Shastri’s purported demand to make India a Hindu Rashtra.
Nath had said, “World’s largest Hindu population lives in our country. Eighty-two per cent of Hindus reside here. It is not a debatable issue. It is not something to be told. These are statistics. What is the need to mention it separately?” Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh are due in November this year.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
