Chief Minister’s political secretary and BJP MLA M.P. Renukacharya, who had stirred up a controversy by stating that no development works will be taken up for Muslims, on Thursday described people opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) as “traitors”.
He also defended his controversial remarks against the minority community and said, “They vote for other parties but come to us for packages”. On Tuesday, he had even accused Muslims of storing weapons in mosques.
The MLA told reporters at Suttur in Mysuru district that be it Congress or Janata Dal (Secular) leaders and their followers, those opposing the CAA were all traitors.
He attacked the former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and said the latter conducted a caste-based enumeration of the population and tried to divide society by offering separate religion status for Lingayats.
When questioned about his recent remarks that no development works will be taken up in Muslim areas, Mr. Renukacharya defended his words.
Reiterating his demand for a Cabinet berth, Mr. Renukacharya said he was not a “political sanyasi”.
Under watch
Sources in the BJP said the party was embarrassed by Mr. Renukacharya’s remarks and that he was being “watched”.
