New Delhi: A BJP parliamentarian in Maharashtra has stoked controversy with his comment that "Christians did not contribute to the freedom struggle".
"India was not freed by Hindus...India was not freed by Muslims, we fought as one for our independence. Christians were angrez (British), so they didn't participate in India's freedom struggle," Gopal Shetty can be heard as saying in a video.
Shetty, 64, represents Mumbai North in parliament.
He made the controversial remark while addressing a gathering for Eid-e-Milad in Mumbai on Sunday.
Reacting to the comment, the Congress sought Shetty's resignation, calling him a repeat offender. "Shetty has a history of inappropriate remarks," said Mumbai Congress leader Bhushan Patil.
This is not the first time that Shetty has made provocative statement, in 2016 he described farmer suicides as "fashion".
"All farmer suicides are not only because of hunger and unemployment. There is a fashion, a trend is on. If Maharashtra government is giving Rs 5 lakh, another government is giving Rs 7 lakh, Rs 8 lakh. There is a competition going on to give money to farmers," he had said.
The remarks came at a time when Maharashtra was reeling under an agrarian crisis with 124 farmers committing suicide in the state since January 2016.
Comments
0 comment