Ram Temple Treasurer Swami Govinddev Giri is against the term ‘voice jihad’ and calls on Hindu society to oppose it | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Swami Govinddev Giritreasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, criticized the use of the term “vote jihadin political discourse, asserting that such language should not describe political rivalry. His comments, made on Sunday, come amid controversial statements by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis linking elections to a ‘dharma-yudh‘.
Speaking to reporters, Swami Govinddev Giri noted that while clues about voting were once issued discreetly through pamphlets at religious places, slogans such as ‘vote jihad’ are now openly promoted. He insisted Hindu society to respond to this trend.
“’Jihad’ is equivalent to ‘dharma-yudh’, but calling a political struggle a ‘yudh’ is inappropriate. Since ‘vote jihad’ is openly advocated, it should be acted upon without hesitation,” the seer said. Emphasizing that voting is both a right and a responsibility of good citizens, he added, “True Hindus are pro-humanity and treat everyone equally, like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. We must also tolerate injustice.”
The comments follow Fadnavis’ claims that an Islamic scholar, Sajjad Nomani, was advocating a “vote jihad” against the BJP-led government. During rallies in Pune ahead of the November 20 assembly elections, Fadnavis played a video in which Nomani reportedly called for the exclusion of BJP voters.
“If they are trying to carry out a vote jihad to destabilize the government, then you will also have to do a ‘dharma-yudh of votes’,” Fadnavis said, calling on his supporters to counter the opposition’s alleged tactics.
The debate over such polarizing rhetoric has drawn mixed reactions as Maharashtra heads towards crucial assembly elections.