Muslims keep weapons at mosques: Karnataka BJP MLA Renukacharya

Political secretary to the chief minister, MP Renukacharya, stoked another controversy on Monday by accusing the Muslims of storing weapons inside mosques.

Speaking at a rally organised in support of Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Honnalli in Davanagere district, he said, "Are you traitors issuing fatwas in mosques? What is inside your mosques? Do you pray? Rather than praying, you are storing weapons. Do you need mosques for such activities?"

The former excise minister then added that opposition to BJP from minority communities will prompt him to practice disparity with Muslims in his constituency as they had not responded to his call to attend the pro-CAA rally.

"Has anybody turned up? Is there anyone here? Henceforth, if you play the same games, I will play politics in the taluk. Funds released to you will be diverted to Hindu localities so that our people can develop. I will show you your place," he said.

Several Hindus, he said, had questioned him about why he was not entertaining Muslims anymore. "Earlier I used to host Muslims, embrace them and offer tea. Henceforth, I will neither embrace nor offer tea. I don't need your votes," he said.

This is the second time in less than a month that a BJP legislator has made such polarising remarks. Earlier in the month, Ballari city MLA Somashekar Reddy had asked minorities to think of the situation if '80 per cent majority' community reacted to '17 per cent' minority community. A case was filed against him and the organisers of the event for a provocative speech.