"Personal Stand": Karnataka BJP Distances Itself From MP's Provocative Speech

Distancing from the controversial remarks made by BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Congress leader Sanjay Gandhi, Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra on Monday said that the opinions expressed by Uttara Kannada MP are of his own and do not reflect the stand of the party.

"Whoever it is, our statements must be serious. Speech should be acceptable to society. I have noticed the statements of Anantkumar Hegde. I will also talk to him about this.I will speak to Anantkumar Hegde personally. That is his personal stand, not the party stand. I will discuss this matter seriously," Karnataka BJP chief said.

Anantkumar Hegde also connected the fate of Bhatkal's golden village to the destruction of Babri Masjid. He remarked that just as the Babri Masjid was distroyed, Bhatkal's mosque would meet a similar fate.

Earlier, Karnataka Congress workers and KPCC General Secretary S Manohar lodged a complaint against former Union Minister and BJP leader Anantkumar Hegde at the High Ground Police Station on Sunday.

Former Union Minsiter Anantkumar Hegde had said that "former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Congress leader Sanjay Gandhi were cursed with cow slaughter, adding that 'Indira Gandhi was shot dead on Gopasthami day,' a result of the curse by the revered ascetic Karpatri Maharaj during a significant agitation for the ban on cow slaughter.

"When Indira Gandhi was the then prime minister, there was a big agitation about the ban on cow slaughter. Dozens of saints died in the movement and there was assassination of many saints and cows were slaughtered in the presence of Indira Gandhi, Hundreds of cows were also shot and killed. The great ascetic Karpatri Maharaj cursed Indira Gandhi," he said.

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