Chandrashekhar Azad Defends Use of Word ‘Jihad’, Says It Means Struggle Against Injustice

By A Staff Reporter

New Delhi: During the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, MP Chandrashekhar Azad weighed in on the controversy surrounding Mohibullah Nadvi’s recent remarks, urging a more accurate understanding of the term “jihad.” Azad said the word, often debated in political and social contexts, has been mischaracterised for convenience and should be understood in its original linguistic and cultural sense.

“‘Jihad’ is an Arabic word, and its meaning in Hindi is jaddojahad, which means to struggle against injustice,” Azad said, emphasising that the term inherently conveys resistance against oppression rather than violence. “Why are we redefining it according to our own convenience? What he has said is that if there is oppression, then the struggle against that oppression is jihad,” he added.

Azad stressed that India’s democratic and constitutional framework provides ample space for peaceful and lawful struggle against injustice. He highlighted that even the most significant battles—including challenges to Supreme Court judgments—can be undertaken through legal and constitutional channels.

“In this country, through constitutional means, we can fight very big battles; we can even contest Supreme Court judgments,” he noted, urging lawmakers and the public to avoid distortion of culturally rooted terms and instead focus on the real issues of justice and democratic rights.