Mani Shankar Aiyar: Hindutva is 'Hinduism in paranoia', sparks political row

• Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar criticized Hindutva as "Hinduism in a state of paranoia" at a Kolkata debate.
• Aiyar distinguished Hinduism as a spiritual tradition from Hindutva as a political ideology, calling the latter a modern construct.
• He stated Hindutva asks 80% Hindus to fear 14% Muslims and that Hinduism thrived for millennia without political protection.
• Aiyar contrasted Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent Hinduism with VD Savarkar's Hindutva, citing attacks on minorities.
• The remarks sparked a political backlash, with BJP accusing Congress of dividing Hindus for electoral gain.

Why It Matters: Mani Shankar Aiyar's comments on Hindutva as 'Hinduism in paranoia' ignited a major political controversy.