Anantkumar Hegde Unfit to Remain Union Minister, Must Be Sacked: Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi's attack on Hegde comes in the backdrop of a series of "crass and communal" remarks issued by the BJP MP from Karnataka.
New Delhi, January 28: Congress president Rahul Gandhi has demanded the removal of BJP leader Anantkumar Hegde from the central government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Calling Hegde "unfit" to serve as a Union Minister, Gandhi said the Centre should sack him at the earliest.
Gandhi's attack on Hegde comes in the backdrop of a series of "crass and communal" remarks issued by the BJP MP from Karnataka. In one of his statements targeting Congress' state unit chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, Hegde said his only achievement has been to "run behind a Muslim lady" -- a reference to his wife Tabu Rao.
The Congress chief said such remark by an incumbent Minister is an "embarrassment" for the entire nation. "This man is an embarrassment to every Indian. He's unfit to be a Union Minister and deserves to be sacked," he said on Twitter.
The vicious attack against Rao over his "Muslim wife" was launched by Hegde on Twitter, after he was asked by the former to list his achievement as the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Enraged after being questioned by Rao, here is how Hegde had replied:
A day before the condemnable remarks targeting Rao's wife, Hegde had stoked another controversy by claiming that Taj Mahal was a Shiv temple, which was later converted into a monument by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
"Taj Mahal was not built by Muslims. It's definitely not built by Muslims, the history speaks for it. Shah Jahan in his autobiography has said he bought this palace from King Jayasimha. It's a Shiv mandir built by King Paramatheertha, Tejo Mahalaya," he was reported as saying.
Further targeting the Muslim community, Hegde added, "Tejo Mahalaya became Taj Mahal. If we keep sleeping, most of our houses also will be named manzil. In future, Lord Ram will be called jahanpana and Sita will become bibi."
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 28, 2019 04:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).