Bangalore: Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde referred Monday to Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao as ‘a guy who ran behind a Muslim lady’, a day after he courted controversy over his remarks that ‘the hand that touches a Hindu girl’s body should not be there’. The minister’s barb targetted the Congress leader who is married to Tabassum Rao.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has also slammed Hegde for his controversial remarks about the Rao’s wife and has said he is ‘unfit’ to be a Union minister and deserves to be sacked.
In response, Gundu Rao tweeted, ‘What are ur achievements after becoming a Union Minister or as MP? What are ur contributions for Karnatakas development? All I can say for sure, its deplorable tha t such people have become ministers & have managed to get elected as MPs (sic).”
Hitting back at Rao, Hegde said, “I shall definitely answer this guy ‘@dineshgrao’s queries, before which could he please reveal himself as to who he is along with his achievements? I only know him as a guy who ran behind a Muslim lady (sic).”
Rao in reply said, “Sad to see @AnantkumarH stoop to such low levels as to bring in personal issues. Guess it’s his lack of culture. Guess he hasn’t learnt from our Hindu scriptures. Time hasn’t run out, he can still try and become a more dignified human.”
Condemning Hegdes statement at Madikeri, former Karnataka CM, Siddaramaiah Monday told reporters in Mysuru that the electorate has to decide whether Hegde was eligible to be a minister or not.
“Is he (Hegde) eligible to be a minister, who calls upon people to chop of hands and commit murder?” Siddaramaiah asked.
Reacting to Hegde’s remarks, Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil told reporters at Mangaluru that the Union minister has the habit of making such speeches to ‘incite communal passions’.
PTI