New Delhi:
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has written to Home Minister Rajnath Singh with a question - "How can you not know what Love Jihad is?"
The letter refers to the home minister's response to questions last week on the campaign against "Love Jihad" by some leaders of the BJP and pro-Hindu outfits like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
"What is that? I need to understand its definition," Rajnath Singh responded.
Digvijaya Singh wrote to him: "You said you don't know what love jihad is. I can't believe that you are unaware of a term used in your home state (Uttar Pradesh), by leaders of the BJP, VHP and the RSS."
The RSS or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is the ideological mentor of the BJP and heads a conglomerate of nationalistic outfits that includes the VHP.
"Maybe these days you are not reading the Panchajanya and Organiser (RSS mouthpieces); the cover stories are on love jihad," Digvijaya Singh said in the letter.
"You probably don't even know that the Election Commission has passed strictures against your party's Yogi Adityanath," he added.
The veteran Congress leader told reporters, "I am surprised that Rajnath Singh does not know of love jihad when the UP BJP president has made such a big issue out of it in the state. Also, cover story on RSS' mouthpiece is on love jihad, and if still Rajnath Singh does not know about love jihad, it is surprising."
"Love Jihad" is a term used by right-wing groups to describe what they consider an Islamist strategy to seduce and convert Hindu women. The BJP skirted the term last month when it adopted the subject of "forced" conversions as a campaign issue for the by-polls.
In states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, where by-polls were held last week, pro-Hindu groups linked to RSS campaigned against "Love Jihad".