E-Paper
Prioritise ‘love jihad’ over civic issues: Karnataka BJP chief Kateel
Calling the Congress, a “party of terrorists,” Kateel slammed Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar and said he spoke in support of terrorists. The BJP leader also levelled corruption charges against the leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar
Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nalin Kumar Kateel stirred controversy as he advised his party workers to focus on fighting “love jihad” instead of development works such as road and sewage issues.
Addressing BJP workers as part of ‘Booth Vijaya Abhiayana’ in Karnataka’s Mangaluru on Monday, Kateel said, “Do not discuss small issues like roads and sewage...If you’re worried about your children’s future, and if you want to stop love jihad, then we need BJP. To get rid of love jihad, we need BJP,” Kateel said.
Also Read: ‘Time for Bommai to follow Raj Dharma or quit’: Congress on contractor’s suicide
He said that BJP is the only party that can bring a law against ‘love jihad’. “BJP was the one that brought a law against cow slaughter, and which introduced a law against religious conversion. BJP will be the one which will bring in a law against love jihad,” Kateel said.
‘Love jihad’ is a term often used by the BJP and right-wing leaders to refer to illegal religious conversions allegedly through force or deceit.
The state BJP president also asked the party workers whether the people of Karnataka wanted a ‘Nava Karnataka’ (New Karnataka) or a ‘Karnataka with terrorists.’
Calling the Congress, a “party of terrorists,” Kateel slammed Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar and said he spoke in support of terrorists. The BJP leader also levelled corruption charges against the leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
Responding to Kateel’s remarks, Shivakumar on Tuesday said the BJP is trying to spread hatred and divide the country with such comments. “This is a very bad message. This is proof that they are trying to spread hatred and break up the country rather than giving priority to development,” he said.
“While we are focusing on development, job creation, hunger, price rise, they are just playing people on emotion,” the state Congress president added.
Congress MLA Priyank Kharge also slammed Kateel’s statement and said the BJP is trying to polarise the voters with nothing to show the people ahead of the assembly elections in the state. “The message is loud & clear by the BJP president. With nothing to showcase to the people, BJP will resort to polarizing the elections. One never hears BJP speak on the development of the state or about youth’s future,” Kharge wrote on Twitter.
Also Read: Jairam Ramesh to move Supreme Court against BJP’s Pragya Thakur over ‘hate speech’
The BJP leader’s comments come in the backdrop of pro-Hindu organisations demanding a separate law against ‘love jihad’ in the state and launching a campaign in this regard.
The right-wing groups are demanding that a bill regarding this be introduced in the winter assembly session in Belagavi. They also submitted a memorandum to ministers, MPs and MLAs to bring a law against ‘love jihad’ last month. In December 2022, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) along with other pro-Hindu organisations launched a helpline, dedicated to addressing ‘love jihad’ cases, in Mangaluru.
In a public gathering held in December 2022, BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, who is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, also slammed “love jihad” and advised parents against educating their children in institutions run by missionaries. She was speaking at the Hindu Jagarana Vedike’s convention in Shivamogga where she triggered a controversy as she urged Hindus to keep “weapons” sharpened so they can be used if someone attacks.
