Senior Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Digvijaya Singh, on Monday, 15 November, took to social media to condemn the vandalism and arson attack at Salman Khurshid's home in Nainital.
The incident took place just days after Khurshid's new book on Ayodhya titled Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times sparked a controversy by equating 'Hindutva' to terrorist Islamist organisations.
"This is disgraceful. Salman Khurshid is a statesman who has done India proud in international forums & always articulated a moderate, centrist, inclusive vision of the country domestically. The mounting levels of intolerance in our politics should be denounced by those in power," Tharoor wrote on his official Twitter handle.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said:
"I strongly condemn attack on Salman Khurshid ji's residence. These illiterate don't even know what is in the Book."
On Monday, Khurshid shared images of his burning home on Facebook as two men are also visible in their attempts, using water, to put out the fire.
His post read, "I hoped to open these doors to my friends who have left this calling card. Am I still wrong to say this cannot be Hinduism?"
DGI (Kumaun) Neelesh Anand was quoted by ANI as saying: "Rakesh Kapil and 20 others have been booked. Strict action will be taken against perpetrators."
What Khurshid Wrote in His Book
The paragraph from the book that has caused public furore reads, "Sanatan Dharma and classical Hinduism known to sages and saints were being pushed aside by a robust version of Hindutva, by all standards a political version similar to the jihadist Islam of groups like ISIS and Boko Haram of recent years."
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed Khurshid's views, alleging that they have hurt Hindu sentiments and the Congress party is playing "communal politics" to gain Muslim votes.
Khurshid has also received criticism from his own party members, such as Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Last week, BJP leader Ram Kadam filed a police complaint against Khurshid over the above mentioned paragraphs in the latter's book.
Khurshid, however, has claimed that his book promotes Hindu-Muslim unity.
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