By Nikhat Fatima, TwoCircles.net
Tulsi Gabbard, American politician of the Democratic Party and representative of 2nd Hawaii’s congressional district has dismissed all rumours about her being the chairperson of World Hindu Congress 2018 to be held in Chicago from September 7-9.
The World Hindu Congress claims to be a global platform for Hindus all over the world to connect and share ideas and inspire one another. The congress is held once every four years. This year 2018 marks the marks the commemoration of 125 years of Swami Vivekananda’s address at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
Tulsi Gabbard has stated on record in a letter addressed to Dr. Asthana, convenor, World Hindu Congress, that she does not want to serve as the honorary chair for the said event as the event is a platform for partisan politics in India and withdrew her participation due to ethical concerns and problems that could arise due to her participation in the event.
There have been many media outlets that have propagated that Tulsi Gabbard is chairing the World Hindu Congress 2018. While some have been spreading rumours as to why Tulsi Gabbard is not part of the event.
To set the record right the politician has clarified in her press release posted on her website the reasons of her withdrawal in the letter addressed to Dr Asthana. She has also asked the convener to remove all her pictures, videos and also her name from all promotional materials of the World Hindu Congress and also from the website of the Hindu Congress.
The world Hindu Congress came into a recent controversy after a report by Minorities of India highlighted that Swami Vigyananand, founder of the World Hindu Congress (WHC), called for arming “the masses” with trishuls — short-handled tridents — saying, “You can’t kill with the trishul but symbols and ideas are interconnected by the law of association.” The swami, who elsewhere calls for establishing “a Hindu State,” made his comments in a May 2003 interview with India’s Outlook magazine. Responding to questions about the VHP’s trishul distribution program, he had stated, “Who will protect the masses? Not the police or the army, they are unfit for it. The trishul sends a message that we should stand and fight. You can’t kill with the trishul but symbols and ideas are interconnected by the law of association. When the mind gets ready, everything is possible.”