Caught on camera warning Muslims, Union Minister says allegations against him baseless

New Delhi: Facing ire over his alleged inflammatory speech warning Muslims of a 'final battle', Union Minister Ram Shankar Katheria claimed he did not target any community.

"What has been published in one of the newspapers is false. I had not taken the name of any community. I had said that the culprits, who had murdered the VHP leader, should be given death sentence. I had also said that the Hindu community should unite for their safety. I will send a notice to the newspaper," the Minister of State for HRD said.

Katheria, along with BJP MP from Fatehpur Sikri Babu Lal, had on Sunday attended a condolence meeting held for VHP worker Arun Mahaur, who was allegedly killed by some youths from another community in Agra on Thursday.

Katheria was allegedly caught on camera equating Muslims to "demons". He had allegedly said, "This conspiracy that is being hatched against the Hindu community, we have to be be alert to recognize it and strengthen ourselves. We have to make ourselves powerful. We have to launch a struggle. If we don't begin a struggle, then today we have lost an Arun, tomorrow we will lose another. Doosra jane se pehle, yeh hatyare hi chale jayen is prakar ki taqat humen dikhani hogi (Before another is lost, we must show such strength that these killers themselves disappear)."

Reacting to Katheria's remarks, Leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) had plans to divide the country.

"They speak whenever elections are nearing. They talk about dividing the country and not uniting. If they continue to speak like this, there will be repercussions across the country. Today we are raising this issue because Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh are silent on this issue," he said.

Leader of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Asaduddin Owaisi said that he is not surprised by the remarks of the Union Minister. "This has been the continuous, consistent and obnoxious behaviour by the Modi government. I am sure that no action will be taken," he said.

Owaisi added that this "was good because the real agenda of the government is being exposed". "Their real agenda is to promote Hinduvta. A Minister speaking such language clearly shows that he went to Agra not for condolence meeting but to create communal mayhem there," Owaisi said.