Bengaluru:

Top Karnataka Congress chief Satish Laxmanrao Jarkiholi has stoked an enormous controversy by saying the phrase “Hindu” has a vulgar which means and doesn’t have its origins in India. It’s from Persian, he mentioned.

Mr Jarkiholi had additional requested how can folks settle for the phrase when it had no reference to India.

“The word Hindu, where did it originate from? Is it ours? It’s Persian, from the region of Iran, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan. What is the connection of the word Hindu with India? Then how can you accept it? This should be debated,” he mentioned.

The video has been doing the rounds on social media, with the ruling BJP slamming it as an insult and provocation for Hindus. A senior chief requested Congress to not create “unnecessary controversies”.

Dr. Ashwathnarayan CN, Karnataka’s Minister for Higher Education, mentioned the Congress ought to respect folks’s sentiments and tradition, and “not create confusion”.

“They should not be creating confusion. Respect the sentiments, respect the culture instead of being critical. Don’t create unnecessary controversies, it is not good in the interest of the societies,” he mentioned.

Congress has condemned the remarks “unequivocally”, stressing that the grand outdated social gathering “built our Nation to respect every religion, belief & faith”. Senior Congress chief Randeep Singh Surjewala mentioned it was “deeply unfortunate”. 

“Hinduism is a way of life & a civilisational reality. Congress built our Nation to respect every religion, belief & faith. This is the essence of India.

The statement attributed to Satish Jarkiholi is deeply unfortunate & deserves to be rejected. We condemn it unequivocally,” he tweeted.

Hinduism is a lifestyle & a civilisational actuality. Congress constructed our Nation to respect each faith, perception & religion. This is the essence of India.

The assertion attributed to Satish Jarkiholi is deeply unlucky & deserves to be rejected. We condemn it unequivocally.

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) November 7, 2022

Mr Jarkiholi is the working President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, and has additionally served as forest minister within the earlier Congress authorities. He was talking throughout an occasion in Belagavi district on Sunday, when he made the comment.