Just two days after a Karnataka minister resigned amid corruption allegations, the Opposition BJP has demanded the resignation of another member of Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s Cabinet over controversial remarks on Islam.
The BJP has called on Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy to either apologise to the Hindu community or step down after he described Islam as “superior to all other religions.”
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Speaking at an event in Kuknoor town of Koppal district, Rayareddy praised Islam as a great and highly humanitarian religion. He said the religion was based on science and taught people how to live.
However, his subsequent remarks drew sharp criticism from the BJP.
“Those who know nothing about Islam make incorrect assumptions and form wrong opinions about it. I would like to say that Islam is superior to all other religions because it begins with humanity,” Rayareddy said.
The minister also said he studies different religions and their histories, including Abrahamic faiths, despite not being a frequent visitor to temples or mathas (monasteries).
“Look, regarding the Quran, I haven’t done extensive study on Abrahamic religions, and while I don’t frequently visit temples or mathas, I do study religions and different histories. That is why I look at Abrahamic religions,” he added.
The BJP has criticised the minister’s comments and demanded that Rayareddy either withdraw his statement and apologise to the Hindu community or resign from the Cabinet.
The controversy comes at a politically sensitive time for the Karnataka government, coming shortly after the resignation of another minister following corruption-related allegations.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
