New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh’s Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi on Saturday said that India is a Hindu Rashtra since ancient times, demands to declare it a Hindu nation is unnecessary.
“India has been a Hindu Rashtra since the ancient times….The demands for declaring it as such are unnecessary,” Shahi said. India is already a Hindu Rashtra as per its historical and cultural heritage, the minister claimed, as per Indian Express.
Ravindra Kushwaha who is a BJP MP of Salempur was also present had maintained silence over the issue. Replying to another question, Shahi requested to the farmers of Madhya Pradesh to abstain from violence.
“The agriculture growth rate has gone up from seven per cent to 18 per cent during the Shivraj Singh government and all that has been done for farmers by his government. Congress could not manage it in 55 years,” Shahi said.
He also referred to the various steps being taken by the UP government in the interest of farmers. Blaming the Congress and other opposition parties for the problems in Madhya Pradesh, Kushwaha alleged that they had “misled and instigated farmers in a planned manner”.