Jihad in Bhagwat Gita Row: As the controversy over former home minister Shivraj Patil’s remark on 'Krishna talks to Arjuna of jihad' snowballed, the senior Congress leader gave clarification aiming to settle the row.
"It is you who is calling it jihad. Would you call Krishna's lessons to Arjun, Jihad? No, that is what I said," said Patil.
Speaking at the launch of Congress veteran and former union minister Mohsina Kidwai's biography, Patil stated that it is said there is a lot of discussion of jihad in the religion of Islam.
The concept comes to the fore when despite having the right intentions and doing the right thing, nobody understands or reciprocates, then it is said one can use force, he said.
"It is not just in Quran, but in Mahabharata also, the part in Gita, Shri Krishna also talks of jihad to Arjun and this thing is not just in Quran or Gita but also in Christianity," he claimed in his remarks in Hindi.
"If after explaining everything, people are not understanding, they are coming 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," the 87-year-old leader said.
Patil further said Mohsina Kidwai's book also talks about respecting all religions while following your own. He also added there is a need for peace in the world.
Patil's remarks triggers BJP Vs Congress
Hitting out at the Congress over Patil's remarks, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said in a tweet, "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," Poonawalla tweeted.
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(With ANI/PTI input)
