‘If Not India…’: Ex-CM Bommai’s Retort After Sidda Backs Amartya Sen’s ‘Hindu Rashtra’ Remark

In a heated exchange of statements, the political landscape in Karnataka has been stirred by contrasting views on the concept of a ‘Hindu Rashtra’. The controversy began when Nobel laureate Amartya Sen asserted that recent Lok Sabha poll results indicate India is not a Hindu nation. This sparked responses from various political figures, including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai.

Siddaramaiah, echoing Sen’s sentiment, emphasised that India cannot be transformed into a Hindu Rashtra. “We have always maintained that this country cannot be turned into a Hindu nation,” he affirmed.

However, BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai took a contrasting stance, questioning if not India, then which country could potentially be designated as a Hindu Rashtra. “Hinduism is about coexistence, it’s a way of life,” Bommai stated. He criticized Siddaramaiah for what he termed as using such statements for political gains, especially targeting minority vote banks.

Bommai accused the CM of disregarding the cultural and historical significance of Hinduism in India.

#WATCH | On Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s remark, BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai says, “If India cannot be made a ‘Hindu Rashtra’, which country can be made Hindu Rashtra? He should understand our culture, our history… Hinduism means living together. It is a way of life. It is not an… https://t.co/x4RAxaoJny pic.twitter.com/zTUovo2fvq

— ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2024

‘Lok Sabha Poll Results Show India Isn’t A Hindu Rashtra’: Amartya Sen

Amartya Sen, upon his return to Kolkata, criticised the current government for perpetuating practices reminiscent of British rule, including the prolonged detention of individuals without trial. He underscored that the electoral outcomes reflected a rejection of the idea of India as a ‘Hindu Rashtra’.

The statements from Sen and the ensuing reactions from Karnataka’s political leaders have highlighted deep-seated ideological differences and raised pertinent questions about the secular fabric of the nation.

“I do not think the idea of turning India into a Hindu Rashtra is appropriate,” Sen said, as per a report on PTI.