New Delhi/IBNS: Days after Rahul Gandhi's speech in the Lok Sabha, Swami Avimukteshwarananda, the 46th Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, has come out in support of the Congress leader. 

A controversy erupted during the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's address when Rahul Gandhi accused BJP leaders of allegedly dividing people on communal lines.

Responding to the address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Rahul Gandhi branded the "entire Hindu community as violent" in his speech.

This accusation ignited a heated exchange in Parliament, leading to the Speaker striking off several contentious statements from the records.

The Shankaracharya, a respected figure among Hindus, offered a different perspective.

"We listened attentively to Rahul Gandhi's entire speech. He unequivocally emphasizes that Hinduism rejects violence," the Shankaracharya said on Sunday.

In a video that has gone viral on social media, he slammed "the selective dissemination of Gandhi's speech", urging accountability for those who distort facts.

"Presenting only fragments of Gandhi's statement is misleading and unethical," he remarked, adding that those responsible should be punished.

Congress MP and Rahul Gandhi's sister, Priyanka Gandhi, also defended her brother against the allegations. "Rahul can never speak against Hindus. His remarks were directed at BJP and its leaders," she said.