In a video that has gone viral on the Internet, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister, CP Joshi is seen, making casteist remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior leaders affiliated with BJP. In the video, Joshi says that only the Pandits (Brahmins), have the birthright to speak about Hinduism.
He says that the country has become a strange place, where the likes of Uma Bharti who belong to Lodhi caste, are now speaking about Hinduism. He says that in past 50 years, Brahmins have lost their mind, allowing others to speak about religion.
At a later part of the video, Joshi goes on to the extent of asserting that people from lower castes are not Hindus at all. He says Uma Bharti and Narendra Modi are from other dharm (religion) and are still speaking about Hinduism.
“Does anyone know what is the caste of Uma Bharti? What is the caste of Sadhvi Ritambhara? In this country, if anyone knows about religion, it is the pandits and the brahmins,” he says adding, “It is strange that Uma Bharti, who is of the Lodh samaj is talking about Hindu religion, Sadhviji is of some religion and she is talking about Hindu religion, Narendra Modiji is of some other religion and he is talking about Hindus.”
Shameful statement by Congress Leader CP Joshi. Implies what does a lower caste person like Modi know about Hinduism as only Brahmins are true custodians of Hinduism ! pic.twitter.com/JKhoKdYnnx
— Harsh Sanghavi (@sanghaviharsh) November 22, 2018
Several media reports suggests that Joshi was addressing a public meeting at poll-bound Rajasthan, when he made these comments. Joshi made another controversial statement yesterday, when he said that only Congress President, Rahul Gandhi is capable of building a Ram temple at Ayodhya.
This is not the first occasion, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been subject of mocking by Congress leaders for his humble origins. Last year, senior Congress leader, Mani Shankar Aiyar had called the Prime Minister a “neech (lowly)” person.
