In further embarrassment for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a party MP from Karnataka has associated Islam with terrorism just days after the hate speech against the Muslim community by Minister of State for Human Resource and Development (HRD) Ram Shankar Katheria at a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) event in Agra.
"Till the time Islam exists in the world, no one can stop terrorism. If we want to keep a place like Bhatkal peaceful, then we should throw Islam away from this world and we should shut Islam," BJP MP Ananth Kumar Hegde told a press conference.
Katheria's speech at the condolence meeting for a VHP worker at Agra where he called on the Hindu Community to unite against Muslims, rocked the Parliament yesterday with both Houses witnessing disruptions over the incendiary speeches at the event.
Katheria, however, claimed that he had not targeted any community in his speech.
He along with BJP MP from Fatehpur Sikri Babu Lal attended a condolence meeting held on Sunday for VHP worker Arun Mahaur, who was allegedly shot dead by some Muslim youth from another community in Agra.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, commenting on the issue accused the BJP and RSS of harbouring plans to divide the country.
While Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav demanded that Katheria be sacked, Congress leader Anand Sharma moved an adjournment notice in the Rajya Sabha on the matter.
