Not Road or Water, Karnataka Election is About Hindus vs Muslims: BJP MLA

Bengaluru: BJP MLA Sanjay Patil stirred a controversy on Thursday by saying that the electoral contest in Karnataka was "not about roads and drinking water but Hindu and Muslim religions".

Sanjay Patil, Belagavi (Rural) MLA, is seen making the purported remarks in a video shot in his constituency amid loud cheers by a crowd of his supporters. It was not immediately known when the video, which went viral on Thursday, was shot.

"...This election is not about road, drainage or drinking water. This election is about Hindu and Muslim religions," he told the crowd.

Patil also told the crowd, which lapped up every word he said, that the Congress favoured constructing a mosque in Ayodhya instead of a Ram temple.

"Let Laxmi Hebbalkar speak about constructing Ram mandir, you all vote for her, but she can't say it, as she is among those who will construct a masjid, Babri masjid," he said, insisting the May 12 polls were "very important."

Hebbalkar, the Karnataka Mahila Congress chief, is pitted against Patil from Belagavi (Rural) constituency. "(Those) Who want to construct Babri Masjid... who want to celebrate Tipu Sultan's jayanti...let them vote for Congress," he said.

"If you want Shivaji Maharaj, if you want Sambhaji Maharaj, if you want those who offer pooja at Lakshmi temple, you will have to vote for BJP," he added.

Belagavi (Belgaum) on Karnataka-Maharashtra border is a communally sensitive area with significant presence of Muslims and Marathi speaking Hindus.

Cong spokesperson Madhu Yaksh Goud said Patil’s statement showed the BJP’s desperation. “Making such a statement violates the Constitution. We will take it up with the election commission. This won't work in Karnataka. The people won't allow destabilising forces like this,” she said.