Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tejasvi Surya has expressed regret over his remarks made at a programme in Udupi. The Bangalore South MP also said that he is “unconditionally” withdrawing his comments made in the speech at ‘Hindu Revival in Bharat’ event.
“At a program held in Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt two days ago, I spoke on the subject of ‘Hindu Revival in Bharat’. Certain statements from my speech has regrettably created an avoidable controversy. I therefore unconditionally withdraw the statements,” Tejasvi Surya said on Twitter.
The comments were made at the Krishna Mutt on Saturday, where the young MP said, “Those people who have left their mother religion and have for various socio, political and economic reasons throughout India’s History. Those who have gone out of the Hindu fold must be brought back in whole, brought back to the mother faith, to the Hindu faith.”
{{/usCountry}}The comments were made at the Krishna Mutt on Saturday, where the young MP said, “Those people who have left their mother religion and have for various socio, political and economic reasons throughout India’s History. Those who have gone out of the Hindu fold must be brought back in whole, brought back to the mother faith, to the Hindu faith.”
{{/usCountry}}In his hour-long speech, Surya also attacked other religions. “Christianity and Islam are not mere religions. They are political imperial ideologies, and Hindus should understand this,” he said.
The 31-year-old further said that temples and mutts must set yearly targets to convert people who got converted for various reasons back to Sanatan Dharma.
The incident took place at a time when the Basavaraj Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is facing the heat over implementation of contentious laws which are believed to be aligned with the ideological parent of the BJP, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The Christian community has also been facing attacks in the southern state.
There has been similar anger against the remarks made at the Dharma Sansad in Haridwar (in Uttarakhand) where alleged hate speeches were made. An FIR has also been registered against the Dharma Sansad.
The remarks in the Dharma Sansad were made between December 17 and 19, and later went viral on social media.