New Delhi, 23 August (H.S.):

Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) national spokesperson Vinod Bansal on Sunday criticised Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he finds it easy to comment on Hindu scriptures without understanding their context but is reluctant to speak with the same openness about the Quran, the Bible and other Abrahamic religious texts.

In a post on X, Bansal said Gandhi could easily pick a verse from the Manusmriti and use it to put Hindu society in the dock without understanding its broader meaning. He questioned whether the Congress leader would speak with equal openness and courage about references to women in the Quran, the Bible and other Abrahamic scriptures.

Bansal further alleged that selective quotations and distorted interpretations could serve political purposes but could not bring out the truth. He cited the Sanskrit verse “Yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra devatah” and pointed out that it is also from the Manusmriti. He urged Gandhi to read the entire text and study it under the guidance of saints and scholars before passing judgments on Hindu society.

The VHP leader also cautioned against, what he described as, spreading a negative perception among young people. He said India did not need to learn about the dignity and respect of women from Gandhi, arguing that women’s empowerment had long been an integral part of Indian civilisation.

Bansal said turning the Manusmriti-versus-Constitution debate into a political issue would amount to an injustice to both history and culture.

The remarks came after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been conducting an outreach campaign titled “Students’ Voice” over the past several days, during which he has been interacting with students at universities and colleges.

As part of the campaign, Gandhi addressed women in Pune, Maharashtra, on Saturday and referred to a verse from the Manusmriti. He said the text contained the view that a woman should never be independent. His remarks have since drawn criticism from some quarters, prompting Bansal’s response.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar