Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, July 28: The Congress Assam unit president Bhupen Borah was forced to tender an unconditional apology on Friday for dragging in Lord Krishna’s name in the modern day “love jihad” controversies after a triple murder in Golaghat involving a Muslim man and his Hindu wife.
Bhupen Borah made the comments objecting to Assam CM describing the recent incident of the triple murder in Golaghat as a case of love jihad. In the horrific incident, one Nazibur Rahman Bora killed his Hindu wife and her parents by stabbing them with a knife on Monday. The woman Sanghamitra Ghosh had married him ignoring the opposition of her parents, and later marital discords led to the murders. Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the family on Wednesday and said the case was the result of love jihad.
Responding to the comments, Borah had said on Thursday that when Dhritarashtra married Gandhari and Krishna married Rukmini, they had indulged in love jihad. He said love jihad was going on for ages, and it took place even during the Mahabharata times. He claimed that Dhritarashtra had married Gandhari against the wishes of her family, and had even got her brothers imprisoned for objecting to the marriage. He also claimed that Gandhari had blindfolded herself so that she does not have to look at Dhritarashtra.
Borah further claimed that Lord Krishna also married Rukmini against the wishes of her family, and thus it was also love jihad. He claimed that Krishna had changed his name to marry Rukmini, and Arjun had posed as a woman while accompanying Krishna. “All is fair in love and war. There are many stories in our ancient texts, including Krishna eloping with Rukmini, and the chief minister should not harp about marriages between people of different religions and communities in today’s age.” Borah had said.
The comment drew sharp criticism from Sarma, who warned that Borah may be arrested if a police case was filed against him. The chief minister said, “We do not want to take the step of arresting people but if Lord Krishna is dragged into controversy, several ‘sanatani’ people will file cases in police stations and then how will I stop the police from taking action?” “If someone files a case against a person for making such comments, he will be arrested,” he said, without naming Borah.
Borah’s apology came soon after Sarma tore into the Congress leader for passing the highly objectionable remark. Sarma lambasted the Congress saying that time would soon come when Congress leaders would not be able to find a place to stay other than a mosque or madarsa.
Explaining the phenomena of love jihad, the Assam CM said, “It is not proper to justify Love Jihad. The incidents in Mahabharat were love and not love jihad. He clarified that love jihad means forcing someone to change religion through marriage and neither Gandhari nor Rukmini was forced to change religion. He added that earlier it was only love, but now love jihad happens and that’s why murders take place. “There was love between Krishna and Rukmini, there was no change of religion, there was no Jihad,” he added.
Realising the adverse reaction it might create among the people in Assam, Borah offered unconditional apology even while insisting that he was not scared of the chief minister or bullying by the BJP. He claimed that “his ancestors” had come in his dream last night and asked him to apologise for dragging in Lord Krishna’s name in the controversy.
“In a dream last night, my grandfather helped me to see my error regarding the remarks. He told me that the statement was wrong, and it has hurt the people of the state,” he told reporters. “I was instructed to go to the namghar (Vaishnavite prayer hall) and pray. Himanta Biswa Sarma is not a threat to me. My only concern is that my comments might not have been well received by the Vaishnavite community,” he said.
“I have, therefore, decided to offer an earthen lamp and betel leaf and areca nut at a ‘namghar’ and seek forgiveness from the lord. I will do this not because I am scared of the chief minister or the BJP, but as the people and the Satradhikars (Vaishnav spiritual heads) have been hurt,” he said.
Reacting to BJP’s demand that he should not be allowed in ‘namghars’, Borah said the chief minister should rather “ask the police to kill me in an encounter.” “I am ready to sacrifice my life, and my family will not file any case, but I should not be stopped from going to the prayer hall,” he added.
“The Chief Minister had requested for my arrest. I was instructed to stop visiting Namghars by a ‘Satradhikar’ (head of a religious organisation connected to the Ekasarana Vaishnavism tradition). I beg them not to prevent my going to Namghars. Instead, shoot me dead during a police encounter.”
Borah went on to say that he was “constructing a magnificent namghar in my hometown. I’ll preach there after my stint in politics. Since politics is not my final inning, that is the sole stipulation I have with the villagers”.
Meanwhile, the BJP’s youth wing BJYM filed police complaints in all the districts of the state against Borah. Guwahati city BYJM president Nihar Ranjan Sharma filed a complaint at the Pan Bazaar police station, stating that he has hurt the sentiments of Hindus.
“Actually, he has made the statement as he is scared about the future of the party, which is absolutely dark. We hope God gives him good sense, and he changes for the better,” Mr Sharma said.