Hindutva doesn’t mean that people of any faith other than Hinduism should be hated, feels Sanjay Raut

Hindutva is a topic that has been much debated in the political and social circles of India. The manner in which Hindutva is held aloft in India’s socialist, secular environment has come in for many deliberations. But then should Hindutva be adopted as a means toward hate for their faiths is a question posed to the perpetrators of a hate-laden ideology. Ask Sanjay Raut on what the Hindutva ideology means to him and what he tells the world comes across as a whiff of fresh breeze that could soothe minds.

Voicing his concern at the manner in which the BJP sees Hindutva, Sanjay Raut, a senior leader of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray group) and Member of Parliament, opens up on what Hindutva isn’t really is, and what it actually stands for. Hindutva doesn’t at all mean that people of any faith other than Hinduism should be hated, Raut tells Reba Ayaz of Digpu News, in a free-wheeling chat. Sadly, just the opposite is happening today, with the BJP turning out to be perpetrators of hate against other religions. 

Nation comes first, says Sanjay Raut

Reminding that the late Balasaheb Thackeray had believed that “Nation Comes First”, Sanjay Raut chooses to stay close to the Shiv Sena founder’s ideology that it is only possible to move forward in nation-building by everyone deciding to join hands and work together. Minority and majority do not exist, everyone is the same and all are equal. That makes this nation strong, he points out.

Raut stands stall among the politicians around him for his sheer honesty and courageous approach towards all that he believes is right for the nation. His bold and serious approach towards upholding democratic ideals had been trivialised by the Centre and the party that leads it, and Raut was put behind bars. “For no fault of mine,” he adds. Relegated to a dark cell with no sunlight for as many as 100 days, Raut was granted bail by a special court, stating that he was arrested for no reason. 

Sanjay Raut is now emboldened than ever as his stance for all that is right has been vindicated. His 100 days in a dark prison cell without even being allowed the luxury of sunlight has made him a bolder man, who believes he stands on the right spot. 

Pained at the manner the Governor of Maharashtra has been behaving in recent times, he points out that that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari has been swaying away from his constitutional position. Even after the people of Maharashtra have voiced their concern over the manner in which the Governor has been acting, the Union Government has been insistent that he stays on. The state government which has assumed power through unfair means is also supporting the Governor unmindful of the damage such attitude would bring to the people of Maharashtra. 

Stressing that the Raj Bhavan is a sacred place and it has much significance in democracy and politics, Sanjay Raut adds that everyone needs to believe that the country comes first and foremost, and everything else is secondary. The current ruling dispensation’s confidence in the Governor does not actually augur well for the state and its people, he states.

We will come back stronger, feels Shiv Sena leader

Dwelling upon the political drama that had been orchestrated by the BJP in Maharashtra, he says that the Shiva Sena government led by Uddhav Thackeray had been running smoothly. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was on the right path keeping the BJP at bay and joining hands with secular forces such as the Indian National Congress. However, when the evil eye of the BJP was cast on the government, power was snatched away by forces that are a shame in a democracy.  

Central agencies playing their part in threatening party men, many left the party put of fear. Many party men may have left their base, but that doesn’t mean the party too has ended, says Raut. The real Shiv Sena will continue to grow and will come back to power again, he asserts.

The BJP has been deploying similar tactics in Telengana and West Bengal. They had done the same in Bihar. But they are totally mistaken when it comes to Maharashtra. We will make a comeback and form the government again, Sanjay Raut states, exuding much confidence.

Answering a question on the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, Sanjay Raut says: “Taking out a yatra through the length and breadth of the country is no easy task. It feels good to see Rahul Gandhi do this, and the manner in which people from all walks of life join the yatra uninvited offers much to hope for. Those people who had seen Rahul Gandhi as a distant politician, have started saying, “Hamara Rahul”. It is heartening to see people look forward to witness secular, democratic ideals woven into the country’s fabric yet again”. 

For a man who has gone through the ups and downs of politics, Sanjay Raut comes across as an honest politician who believes that his country comes first in whatever he does. And, he continues with his good work, with the blessings of the people and all around him.

Watch this Candid interview on YouTube: