Calling political contest ‘vote jihad’ wrong, Hindu society must counter it: Ram temple treasurer

Pune: Swami Govinddev Giri, the treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, said on Sunday that it was wrong to describe a political fight as “vote jihad”, asserting that the Hindu society must counter it.

His comments come amid Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s attacks on “vote jihad” and calls to respond to it with ‘dharma-yudh’.

Speaking to reporters, the Hindu seer said directions about whom to vote were earlier discretely issued from religious places by distributing pamphlets but slogans like ‘vote jihad’ are now being openly given.

The religious leader said 'jihad' is equivalent to ‘dharma-yudh’.

“Calling a fight between two political parties 'yudh' is not right. But since ‘vote jihad’ is being openly advocated, it must be countered by the Hindu society without hesitation,” he said.

Voting is the right and responsibility of good citizens, said the religious leader from Ayodhya Ram temple.

“Being a true Hindu is pro-humanity, and treating everyone equally like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” he said, adding, “We should tolerate injustice as well.” Earlier, referring to a purported appeal by an Islamic scholar for “vote jihad” against the BJP-led Mahayuti government, Fadnavis had called for a “dharma-yudh of votes” to counter it.

During a few rallies in Pune ahead of the November 20 assembly polls, Fadnavis had played a video by Islamic scholar Sajjad Nomani and claimed that the slogan of “vote-Jihad” was raised.

It is being said that a person who votes for the BJP must be ostracised, Fadnavis claimed.

“If these people are trying to do vote jihad, if they are saying they will destabilise the government through vote jihad, then you will also have to do dharma-yudh of votes,” Fadnavis had said in a swipe at the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.