Bengaluru: BJP MLA Bharath Shetty sparked controversy with his remarks on Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, suggesting that the Congress leader deserved to be "locked up in Parliament and slapped" for his comments he claimed were "anti-Hindu".
Shetty, known for his outspoken views, flayed Rahul Gandhi's recent statements in Parliament, questioning the source of his courage "to speak against Hindus".
"How much the Hindu society believes in Shaastras (scriptures), and knows how to use Shastras (weapons). But, we are dormant in using it. In all probability, Rahul Gandhu is awakening the Hindus to use them. Sometimes I feel that if somebody could have locked him up in Parliament and slapped him, that would have been good. This will lead to filing seven to eight FIRs. From where is he getting that courage to (speak against Hindus)?" Shetty remarked, addressing a protest march.
Shetty claimed Gandhi had links with leaders like All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) president Badruddin Ajmal and accused him of being "indifferent" to "violent threats" against Hindus given by some political figures.
He claimed there were instances where inflammatory remarks against Hindus were allegedly ignored, calling into question the Congress leader's stance on communal issues.
"Rahul Gandhi overlooks anti-Hindu rants and violent remarks against Hindus. You must have noticed people sitting next to him. Badruddin Ajmal, a leader of Jamat-e-ullema Hind in Assam, sits next to him. He makes an open remark, publicly giving a clarion call to be violent against Hindus. That time, he did not realise violence. Kerala MPs belonging to the Indian Muslim League address the gathering that the Hindu temples will be torched. He does not take this into cognisance," he said.
Shetty also raised questions about the identity of those responsible for Kanhaiya Lal's death, asking whether they were Hindus. "There has been no call from any Hindu to 'Sar Tan se juda' ... Who killed Kanhaiya Lal? Were they Hindus?" he asked.
He criticised Rahul Gandhi for not addressing issues related to Assaduddin Owaisi's Islam, Shia and Sunni Islam, and Wahabi Islam, alleging that the Congress lacks the courage to ask these questions while differentiating between RSS and Vivekananda Hindutva, which he attributed to vote-bank politics.
He accused the Congress of "indulging in vote-bank politics" and warned of future dangers to Hindu identity under their leadership.
Shetty urged Hindus within the Congress to resist anti-Hindu sentiments. He cautioned that a Congress-led government could potentially introduce laws detrimental to Hindu interests.