After Congress President Rahul Gandhi visited temples while campaigning in the poll bound state of Karnataka, the debate around Congress working on the lines of ‘soft Hindutva’ has sprung up again.
In an exclusive interview with The Quint’s editorial director Sanjay Pugalia, Rajasthan Congress President Sachin Pilot addresses these issues.
Describing BJP’s allegations of Congress adopting a ‘soft Hindutva’ policy as completely baseless, Sachin Pilot said that politics and religion should be kept separate. He claims that if religion and politics are brought in together, then it becomes very dangerous.
One of the BJP leaders said that there is no place for Muslims in India. Congress party believes that the country belongs to everyone. The Constitution has given equal rights to all. If Rahul Gandhi ji is going to a temple, why is the BJP bothered because of it. We are fighting the elections with certain agendas. Religion is a matter of personal belief. Congress doesn’t want to attract voters in the name of religion.Sachin Pilot, President, State Congress Committee, Rajasthan
‘BJP’s Election Weapon is Polarisation’
Turning to BJP, Sachin Pilot said that BJP focuses on polarisation and makes it their election weapon, instead of focusing on real issues that matter.
BJP is making baseless allegations that the Congress is practicing ‘soft Hindutva’. Ultimately, the only thing they know is to create propaganda over issues like changing name of Taj Mahal, creating violence in the name of Gau Raksha, talking of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. But they superficially talk over issues like housing, electricity water, employment, pension and investment. Their masterstroke lies in how to polarise votes.Sachin Pilot, President, State Congress Committee, Rajasthan
While he did not comment on the various coalitions being formed by opposition parties like Mamata Banerjee with TMC, Sharad Pawar with NCP, and Akhilesh Yadav with Mayawati during elections, Sachin Pilot did hint on the possibility of a grand coalition being formed by opposition parties against the BJP.
Discussions are underway. I may not know everything about it, but all the secular and anti-BJP forces will unite in a coalition. You will have to wait for when, where and how the alliance will be formed, but I believe that if small parties make some compromises, then we can do something for the national interest.Sachin Pilot, President, State Congress Committee, Rajasthan
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