Hyderabad: Tejasvi Surya, a Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) MP from South Bangalore, has “unconditionally withdrawn” his remarks on Hindu resurgence and “bringing back to the Hindu fold” all those who converted “over the course of India’s history.”
The video of his remarks has sparked widespread outrage at a time when a number of inflammatory remarks have been made at public gatherings.
Surya took to his Twitter profile this morning and tweeted, “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 have regrettably created an avoidable controversy. I therefore unconditionally withdraw the statements.”
The Karnataka BJP leader had stated on December 25 that individuals who had abandoned their “mother religion” should be brought back as soon as possible, as it was the “only possible solution” to an “anomaly”.
Tejasvi Surya while addressing a program at the Sri Krishna Mutt said, “The Hindu has been taken out from his mother religion. There is only one possible solution…there is only one solution to address this anomaly,”
The 31-year-old member of Parliament made this remark two days after the Karnataka Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, also known as the anti-conversion Bill, was passed in the legislative assembly amid controversy, with the Congress accusing the government of discriminating against minorities by threatening them with harsh penalties under the new law.
However, the bill did not become a law as it was not passed in the state legislative council.
Tejasvi Surya, who is also the national head of the BJP’s youth wing, the Yuva Morcha, is known for his divisive politics and aggressive stances on many issues.
In the same address on Saturday, he was heard suggesting that mutts and temples should set annual targets to convert all individuals who have deserted the religion.