Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Tuesday demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi over Karnataka Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi's remarks claiming the word 'Hindu' is Persian and has a very dirty meaning.
Mr Mishra said he will write a letter in this regard to Mr Gandhi.
During 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".
Reacting to Mr 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 Mr Jarkiholi on the word 'Hindu. I will write a letter to him to clarify what Congress thinks about 'Hindu' and 'Hindutva',” said Mr Mishra, who is also the MP government's spokesperson.
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