He is in trouble for his 'Hindu' remarks. Once Congress' Satish Jarkiholi slept in a graveyard

Doubling down on his comments on the word ‘Hindu’ despite widespread outrage, Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi on Tuesday claimed he is only referring to what has been written and published.

Jarkiholi, saying he would not apologise, also said he would welcome a debate on the issue and resign as legislator if proven wrong.

‘‘What I have said, 90 percent of people have probably not heard it completely. Just because there is a reference to the word Hindu and as I have said that it has a very dirty meaning, it has been interpreted however they want, there is nothing new in this, and such things have happened many times in the past,’’ Jarkiholi said.

Speaking at Nippani in Belagavi district during an event organised by ‘‘Manav Bandhutva Vedike’ on Sunday, Jarkiholi claimed that the word ‘Hindu’ is Persian and has a very dirty meaning.

“Where did the term Hindu come from? Is it our own? No. It is of Persian origin. Where is that? It refers to countries like Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. What is the relation between India and such countries? How can it be an Indian term? There needs to be a debate on this. Please refer to sites like Wikipedia. If it is not an Indian term, why are some people taking it so seriously? If you understand its original meaning, you will be ashamed of yourself. The original meaning of the term is very dirty and insulting,” Jarkiholi said.

Jarkiholi also said that a word and a religion from elsewhere is being forcefully imposed on people, and demanded a ‘proper debate’ in this regard.

This isn’t the first time the rationalist has hit the headlines:

In December 2014, the then state Excise minister Satish Jarkiholi spent a night at a crematorium along with hundreds of people.

Jarkiholi and hundred others had their dinner at the crematorium belonging to Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) as part of an exercise to eradicate superstitions.

He also spent the night at Vaikunth Dham, a burial ground which is now a crematorium, to observe the death anniversary of BR Ambedkar.

The burial ground, the oldest crematorium located at Sadashiv Nagar, has 24 cremation platforms, including an electric one.

Jarkiholi, known for being among the vociferous voices who brought an anti-superstition bill in the state assembly, said he chose to spend the night at the crematorium to bust the myth that such places are abode of ghosts.

“By spending the night in the crematorium - firstly, I want to bust the myth that graveyards are places where ghosts reside and secondly, I want to clear the tag of fear attached to it. Graveyards are holy places, in fact,” he said.

Jarkiholi said unless people do not fight the superstitious mindset, people belonging to lower castes and other backward classes would not get justice.

In 2018, Jarkiholi had breakfast with rationalists and Vedike members at a rain shelter inside a burial ground at Sadashiv Nagar after inaugurating a  public awareness programme against blind belief, as per The Hindu.

Jarkiholi further called on the public to “come out of mental slavery that had reduced their capacity for rational thinking”.

“This is what Dr BR Ambedkar told us about and we have to follow his ideals. We have been systematically brainwashed to believe unscientific things about eclipses. The astrologers say we should not eat before and during eclipses and throw away drinking water. All this is false. It is sad that our lives are being governed by an almanac that costs just ₹10,” he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

That same year Jarkiholi claimed that the mythological figure Mahishasura was in fact the Buddhist king Mahisha who was demonised because he was a Shudra, as per The Times of India.

This came amid the mythological story behind Karnataka’s biggest festival – Mysuru Dasara – being countered by a group of rationalists that included Jarkiholi.

“Mahisha was demonised because he belonged to the Shudra community. I will hold discussions with the people and academicians, and make a decision to make modifications to the Mahishasura statue atop Chamundi Hills. He was a Buddhist king who initiated many developmental projects in Mysuru,” Jarkiholi said at the Mysuru town hall during the Mahisha Dasara celebrations, as per The Quint.

Jarkiholi also in the past said Bill Gates is one of the richest persons in the world despite not worshipping goddess Laxmi.

“Bill Gates does not worship Laxmi and yet he is one of the richest persons in the world. Even I do not worship Laxmi and yet do a turnover of over Rs 600 crore business per annum,” he had said.

A controversial family

Jarkiholi’s brother Ramesh was forced to quit as state minister due to sexual harassment allegations in 2021, as per Mint.

His brothers Balachandra and Lakhan, a BJP MLA and an Independent member of the Legislative Council respectively, wield sizeable political clout in Belagavi, as per Indian  sExpress.

As per the newspaper, the brothers are seen as ruthless towards rivals. Two brothers Satish and Bhimshi, and their father Laxman, were accused in the 1980s of killing an excise inspector over an alleged dispute involving liquor contracts but later acquitted, as per the newspaper.

Jarkiholi doubles down, Congress distances itself

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Jarkiholi, referring to a dictionary published in 1963, reiterated that there is evidence that the word ‘Hindu’ comes from Persian and that it has a dirty meaning

‘‘What I have said is not my own, and I have said that let there be a debate, that’s my intention, but people interpret it however they want, I can’t do much about it. I’m ready for discussion with evidence…if someone proves me wrong, I will resign as MLA,’’ he added.

Questioning as to why he should apologise, the Yamakanmardi legislator said whatever he has said are not his statements but what has been written and published.

‘‘In fact those pointing fingers at me should have seen and rectified it, I have done what they should have done, they should be thankful to me,’’ he said adding that he is being unnecessarily targeted by a system including ‘‘Manuwadis’’.

Reacting to this, AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala on Monday had said the statement attributed to Satish Jarkiholi is ‘deeply unfortunate’ and deserves to be rejected.

‘‘We condemn it unequivocally…..Hinduism is a way of life and a civilisational reality. Congress built our nation to respect every religion, belief and faith. This is the essence of India,’’ he said in a tweet.

To a question on Congress too, condemning his statement, Jarkiholi said party leaders should have reacted naturally, without having seen what he has actually said.

‘‘Surjewala has condemned it, I have no objections to it, he is a higher authority than me,’’ he said in response to a question, adding that the AICC General Secretary even spoke to him and sought clarification.

‘‘There is no question of apologising, let the Chief Minister form a committee to find the truth in what I have said, if proved wrong, will resign, no apology,’’ he added.

Congress Legislature Party Leader Siaddarmaaiah, not willing to say much, said, ‘‘Our national General Secretary Surjewala has reacted, that’s my stand.’’ State Congress President D K Shivakumar, rejecting Jarkiholi’s statement calling it his personal, said he will seek clarification.

BJP goes on attack

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai accusing Jarkiholi of trying to vitiate the atmosphere in society through such statements said, his statement has hurt the sentiments of people of this country.

The Congress party is indulging in appeasement politics with such statements just for the sake of votes, he said, as he called Jarkiholi’s words as half baked statements without any in-depth study.

‘‘By doing this, the Congress leaders are trying to disturb the very foundation of belief of every Indian. Creating problems within any country amounts to the act of anti-nationalism. Everyone must condemn such acts. But, the Congress Party has been acting as if it is supporting such a statement,’’ he told reporters in the district headquarters town of Udupi.

Talking to reporters at the Udupi helipad before his departure after engagements in the city, Bommai said the Congress party should apologise for Jarkiholi’s statement.

Noting that Jarkiholi’s remark should be condemned by all, he wondered why Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah are silent on the statement. He wanted to know whether the Congress approved the statement.

Several BJP leaders including BS Yediyurappa and Ministers in Bommai’s cabinet have hit out at Jarkiholi and Congress party for the ‘‘anti-Hindu statement’’.

With inputs from agencies

Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Instagram .