BENGALURU: Netizens and opposition leaders came down heavily on Minister for Kannada and Culture CT Ravi, a day after he said that the present situation might end like the Godhra riots.
Ravi had said, “If you’ve forgotten about what happens when the majority loses patience, just look back at what happened after Godhra. The majority here is capable of repeating it. Don’t test our patience.”
The minister was replying to former minister MLA UT Khader, who had said that the state would blow up in cinders if the government tried to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Senior Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao said that CT Ravi has issued a provocative threat.
“Police must immediately book a case against him and take him into preventive custody. Holding a constitutional post, he has no business speaking like this,’’ he said.
Netizens too opposed his statement. “Ravi is mentioning 2002 riots with great pride. BSY make way for Gujarat model,’’ Raksha Ramaiah tweeted. Some even demanded an apology from him and asked him to take back his words.
After the police firing in Mangaluru on Thursday, BJP General Secretary BL Santosh too had blamed Khader.
In his tweet, he said, “UT Khader, Cong MLA who incited people by his extreme threats is directly responsible for loss of two lives n Mangaluru police firing today... Should be booked under law.”
When contacted, Ravi defended himself, saying it was Khader who had started the fire.
“I was just reacting to his statement. People like him are the ones who started the fire in Godhra,’’ he said.
“I was just saying what happened to Hanumantha when Ravan tried to put Hanumantha’s tail on fire. Entire Lanka was up in flames,’’ he added.
At a press conference in Belagavi, he said that criminal cases must be filed against elements and leaders who are bent on spreading hate and provoking people to resort to violence.
Asked whether his government would file a case against Khader, Ravi did not give a clear reply and instead, sought to know from reporters what action should be initiated against Khader.