PUNE: In a controversial remark, Maharashtra Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane has compared Kerala to "Mini-Pakistan." The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said that Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi were elected as members of Parliament for precisely this reason.
"Kerala is mini Pakistan that is why Rahul Gandhi and his sister are elected from there. All terrorists vote for them. This is the truth, you can ask. They have become MPs after taking terrorists with them," Rane said while addressing a rally in Purandar Taluka of Pune district.
Rane later clarified that Kerala is part of India but cited issues like "religious conversions" and "love jihad" to justify his comparison with Pakistan. He claimed his statements were factual and invited scrutiny of his claims.
Rane, son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane, was speaking at a function on the occasion of Shiv Pratap Din, the anniversary of a historic incident when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had killed Afzal Khan when he made these remarks.
Rane won the recently concluded 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections from the Kankavli seat. In the new cabinet, Rane has been given the portfolio of fisheries and ports.
Reacting to this, Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe Patil lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and questioned the need for Rane to remain part of the cabinet. He said that Rane's work was to do this only.
"What else can one expect from Nitesh Rane? He has been elected to do this only. However, I want to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Devendra Fadnavis. The person (Rane), who is a minister, has taken an oath of the Constitution to (maintain) the sovereignty and unity of India. Now, he is labelling one of the country's states as Pakistan. He is calling the voters there as 'terrorists.' Should he have the right to remain in the ministerial position? This is my question to you. From morning to evening, Nitesh Rane only spreads Dharmandata (communalism). If you (Modi and Fadnavis) call yourself deshbhakt (nationalist), how is such a person still in the cabinet?"
The remarks drew sharp criticism, with questions raised about Rane's suitability as a cabinet minister and concerns over the divisive nature of his statements.
Rane clarified that Kerala was very much part of India, saying he was merely comparing the situation in Kerala and Pakistan. He said that if the treatment meted out to "Hindus" in Pakistan is similar to happenings in India, there should be action against the same.
"We want our country, which is a Hindu Rashtra, to remain a Hindu Rashtra," Rane told ANI, adding that "Hindus" must be protected in every way.
"Kerala is very much part of India. However, the decreasing population of Hindus is something everyone should worry about. The religious conversion of Hindus into Muslims and Christians (Islam and Christianity) has become an everyday thing there. The love jihad cases where Hindu women are targeted are also increasing there. I was comparing the situation (in Kerala) with Pakistan. The way Hindus are treated in Pakistan if such situations happen in our very own country, we must take action against that. That is what I was trying to say in my speech," Rane, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, said.
Rane further said that he was stating facts and was accompanied by a person who has helped "12,000 Hindu women" by stopping them from getting converted to "Islam and Christianity." He maintained that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have won in the Wayanad constituency because they received support from terrorist organisations.
"The entire situation can be compared. I was just stating the facts. I was accompanied by a gentleman who has helped 12,000 Hindu women by stopping them from getting converted to Islam and Christianity. What I said about Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, you ask anyone in the Wayanad constituency. Who are the people who support them? Which are the organisations that support them? A lot of local BJP leaders have said the same thing. Can Congress come out and say we are wrong? Can they say that there is not a single terrorist organisation that supported Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi in the elections? Let them say. We will give more proof. Whatever I said was based on facts," Rane added.