‘Go to PAKISTAN if... ’: MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra SLAMS Congress over ‘Hindu' remark row

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister and hardline BJP leader Narottam Mishra has strongly condemned Karnataka Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi's remarks claiming the word 'Hindu' is Persian and has a very dirty meaning and demanded an apology from the Congress party. Mishra has also demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi over the issue and said that he will write a letter in this regard to him.

Reacting to Jarkiholi's statement, MP Home Minister Mishra while talking to reporters here said Rahul Gandhi had tried to define 'Hindu' and 'Hindutva' during a rally in Rajasthan and now Congress leaders were making controversial comments during his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

“Rahul Gandhi should apologise for the derogatory remarks made by Jarkiholi on the word 'Hindu. I will write a letter to him to clarify what Congress thinks about 'Hindu' and 'Hindutva',” said Mishra, who is also the MP government's spokesperson.

Targeting Jarkiholi over his controversial remark, Mishra said, “Those who have problems with Hindus and Hindutva can go to Pakistan. Such people are needed in Pakistan considering the present political situation in the neighbouring country.” 

Addressing an event in Nippani on Sunday, Karnataka Congress Working President Jarkiholi said, "They speak about Hindu Dharm...This that, where did the Hindu word come from? Is it ours? It is Persian. Persian is from Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. What is Bharat's relationship with it? Then, how did Hindu become yours? There should be a debate on this."

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) later termed it as deeply unfortunate and rejected it "unequivocally".