BJP won’t be allowed to hijack the word ‘Hindu’ — Harish Rawat

Dehradun, August 22 (PTI): Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Harish Rawat has said he would not let the BJP hijack the word “Hindu”. “The BJP has emptied Hinduism of its vital elements and reduced it to Hindutva. We are Hindus in our values. We believe in Sanatan Dharma. We won’t let it hijack the word Hindu,” Rawat told reporters here on Saturday.

“Being Hindus, we believe in Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam (entire earth is one family), Sarva Dharma Sambhav (equality of religions) but the BJP believes in Sarva Dharma Jhagda Bhav (quarrelling with all religions) ” the AICC general secretary and the party’s campaign committee head for Uttarakhand said.

Rawat announced that the party will launch a Parivartan Yatra next month to acquaint people of the state with the “failures” of the BJP governments both in the state and the Centre.

The Parivartan Yatra is aimed at convincing people why a change of government is necessary in the state to strengthen it economically and keep “Uttarakhandiyat” — the all-encompassing nature of its cultural identity alive, he said.

Accusing the state government of undoing all reforms introduced in education and health sectors during his tenure, Rawat said all of them will be revived if Congress is voted back to power.

“We will keep the flag of Uttarakhandiyat flying high and create a welfare state which takes care of the common people, the poor and the deprived sections of society,” Rawat said.