Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid sparked a controversy by comparing Hindutva ideology to ISIS in his new book on Ayodhya.
Mr Khurshid's new book, ''Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times'', read: "Sanatan Dharma and classical Hinduism known to sages and saints were being pushed aside by a robust version of Hindutva, by all standards a political version similar to the jihadist Islam of groups like ISIS and Boko Haram of recent years" in a passage of his book.
Amit Malviya, the BJP's IT cell chief, tweeted while highlighting the paragraph, “What else can we expect from someone whose party coined the term Saffron terror just to draw equivalence with Islamic jihad, to get Muslim votes?"
A Delhi-based lawyer has filed a complaint against him, accusing the 68-year-old of comparing "Hindutva" with radical Islamic terror groups. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the book is hurting religious sentiment in the country. "Hinduism was compared to ISIS and Boko Haram. Why is the Congress party doing this while staying in India? Congress is weaving a web like a spider against Hindus… All this happens at the behest of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Earlier, the term 'Hindu terrorism' was invented in the Congress office".
BJP targeted the Congress of playing "communal politics" to get Muslim votes. The BJP has also demanded that Salman Khurshid be sacked from the Congress and that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi explain the statement "if she respects Hindus".
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"Due to the politics of hatred of Congress, the public will teach a lesson in the assembly elections to be held in 5 states next year," he added.
Vineet Jindal said in his complaint "stirring enraged emotions among the Hindu religion followers”. It is a quite aggravating and defamatory statement for the whole Hindu community that the equivalence of Hinduism to ISIS and Boko haram is perceived as Hindus are following a negative ideology stating that Hinduism is violent, inhuman and oppressive".