Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nalin Kumar Kateel while addressing a public rally in Ramanagara made a shocking statement on senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying the latter cannot produce children.
Kateel, who is known for controversial remarks, said, “Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah kept discouraging the public to not take the COVID-19 vaccine, but they got themselves vaccinated in secret.”
Quoting a BJP MLC from Karnataka, the party leader claimed: “That’s why our MLC said Rahul Gandhi did not marry because he cannot have children.”
Earlier in January, the MP from Dakshina Kannada, while addressing party workers told them that ‘love jihad’ is a serious issue when compared to the development and welfare of the citizens.
He termed infrastructure and civic issues such as water shortage, sewage problems, and roads filled with potholes as “minor problems”.
In February, Kateel made a controversial appeal to the public asking them to “kill” all “ardent followers” of Tipu Sultan, the 18th Century ruler of Mysore.
“We are devotees of Lord Rama, Lord Hanuman. We offer prayers and obeisance to Lord Hanuman, and we are not Tipu’s descendants. Let’s send Tipu’s descendants back home,” Kateel said.
Opposition reacts
Outraged by the statement, Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala called Kateel a “joker”.
“A ‘Joker in BJP’s Circus’ in Karnataka is suffering from perpetual ‘verbal diarrhoea’ – except that in his case, it is both-physical and mental. Since no one pays attention to him, he makes stupid statements to be in news. U guessed it right – it is Nalin Kateel. Pl ignore him!” Surjewala tweeted.
“Such stupidities are always the refuge of cowards & fools – a classical BJP trait! They will insult science & scientists. They will oppose scientific temper. They will promote orthodoxy. They will promote skulduggery. They should be relegated to the dustbin of history,” he added.
Assembly elections are due on 224 seats in Karnataka in April-May, in which the BJP is hoping to win a second term in power.
(With PTI inputs)
