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🇮🇳 India /Elections & Politics

Karnataka minister calls Islam ‘the greatest religion’; BJP demands resignation and apology to Hindus

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Karnataka minister Basavaraj Rayareddi praised Islam as “the greatest” religion and said he wanted to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage.
  • He urged people to study the Quran and other religions, reject bigotry and respect positive teachings across faiths.
  • BJP leader R Ashoka accused the Congress government of an anti-Hindu mindset and demanded Rayareddi’s apology or removal from the cabinet.

Basavaraj Rayareddi’s remarks at a Muslim community mass marriage programme have triggered a political confrontation in Karnataka, with the BJP demanding that the minister resign or be removed.

Speaking in Kuknoor on Saturday, Rayareddi described Islam as “a great religion full of humanity” and said it teaches people how to live in society. He also said he hoped to visit Mecca for the Hajj at least once, although he noted that Islamic tradition requires pilgrims to convert to Islam before undertaking the pilgrimage.

Islam is a great religion full of humanity. But wrong notions are being spread about Islam in society. This religion teaches how a human should live in society.

— Basavaraj RayareddiThe Karnataka minister defended Islam during a speech at a Muslim community mass marriage programme.

Rayareddi said he had tried to study the Quran, other religions and their histories. Religious texts, he argued, should not be treated as belonging only to their own communities. He called on people to read and understand them without becoming bigots or casteists.

“There are God and bad people in all religions, but bad things are always highlighted,” he said, urging respect for all religions and attention to teachings that promote human welfare. He added that people should follow Islam’s good teachings rather than merely visiting a mosque.

There are God and bad people in all religions, but bad things are always highlighted.

— Basavaraj RayareddiHe urged people to respect all religions and avoid bigotry and casteism.

The comments drew criticism from BJP leaders soon after another minister in Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s cabinet, B Nagendra, resigned. R Ashoka, the BJP’s opposition leader in the state Assembly, asked Shivakumar whether there was “no end” to what he called the Congress government’s anti-Hindu mindset.

Ashoka accused Shivakumar of publicly visiting temples while remaining silent when a cabinet minister allegedly made derogatory remarks about Sanatan Hindu Dharma and temples. He demanded that Rayareddi withdraw his statements and apologise to Hindus across Karnataka. If Rayareddi refused, Ashoka said, Shivakumar should remove him from the cabinet.

CM DK Shivakumar, is there no end to this anti-Hindu mindset of your Congress government?

— R AshokaThe BJP opposition leader criticised Rayareddi’s remarks and challenged the Karnataka chief minister.
About this summary

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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