Karnataka MLA says state polls a 'Hindu-Muslim fight', booked
An FIR has been lodged against Karnataka BJP MLA Sanjay Patil, who said the upcoming state election is about "Hindus vs Muslims." He said this while campaigning in Sulebhavi village of Belagavi four days ago, claiming the polls aren't about roads, drains and drinking water. A video of his speech has gone viral. Incidentally, he isn't the only MLA to have made such statements.
Batting for Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, Patil had said, "Keeping a hand on my chest I say loudly, this is Bharat, this is the country of Hindus, and this is the country where Ram was born." "If you vote for Congress, they will only build Babri Masjid," he told the crowds. Those who want Babri Masjid and Tipu Jayanti can vote for Congress, he added.
Patil also took potshots at Congress candidate Laxmi Hebbalkar: "If Hebbalkar says she's committed to Ram Mandir, I'll vote for her." Responding to his comments, Hebbalkar said Patil is resorting to the Hindutva card as he has done nothing for his constituency in 10 years.
A similar claim had been made by BJP UP MLA Surendra Singh earlier this month, when he said the 2019 Lok Sabha elections would be fought on the lines of "Islam versus Bhagwan" and "Pakistan versus India." He asked people whom they want to win, "Islam or Bhagwan". "There are a very few Muslims who are patriotic," Singh had once said.
