"Proud of my Hindu dharma, won't let it be politically hijacked": Digvijay after 'Hindutva' jibe

New Delhi: Amid political row over the word “Hindutva”, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who said that the word doesn’t exist in his dictionary, has provided an explanation for his statement on Twitter saying that he is proud of his “Sanatan Hindu religion rather than ‘Hindutva’ which is a politicized version propagated by RSS”. Singh who is often targeted by the BJP for allegedly using the term Hindu or saffron terror, on Saturday said that the word Hindutva does not exist in his dictionary. While speaking to the media in Bhopal, from where he is contesting the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said the word Hindutva did not exist for him. "Why do you use the word Hindutva? The word does not exist in my dictionary," he said. Then in a series of tweet in Hindi, Singh provided an explanation for his statement. He said: “I follow Hindu religion, which has taught the world the way of life for thousands of years. I will never handover my religion to Hindutva, which is the conspiracy of the Sangh to get only political power. I am proud of my Sanatan Hindu religion, which professes “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.” He wrote: “Sangh’s Hindutva is divisive. I will never let a political abduction of my religion happen. For us, Hinduism is a matter of faith, a personal relationship with God.” He further questioned that since when did Sangh become the certifier of one’s faith, “My Hindu religion is my faith. That is why I have not propagated my Narmada revolution, never preached the traditions of the Raghogarh temple, did not propagate the decades of Govardhan parikrama and Pandharpur darshan.” “Since when did the people of the BJP come between me and God and become the agents who give the certificate?” he questioned on Twitter. Congress had pointed earlier that the controversial term “Hindu terror”, was used by Union minister R K Singh when he was home secretary. Singh was a Union home secretary during the UPA regime and later joined the BJP and became minister. Apparently referring to Singh, Digvijaya claimed that the BJP made the person who used the term "Hindu terror" in official parlance a Union minister. "I think they do not have the knowledge of Hindu civilisation. The person who, as home secretary, issued a statement with the word Hindu terror was given Lok Sabha ticket by the BJP and was made a Union minister," Singh told reporters. "Will (BJP chief) Amit Shah speak about it?" the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister asked. Bringing its Hindutva plank to the fore, the BJP has fielded Malegaon blast case accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in Lok Sabha elections from Bhopal against Digvijaya Singh. Out on bail, Thakur has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the 2008 case but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions.