Rahul Gandhi demands sacking of Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde from Modi Cabinet

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday demanded the sacking of Union Minister and senior BJP leader Anantkumar Hedge from Modi Cabinet after his controversial remark. On Sunday, Anant Kumar at a public event said that any hand that touches a Hindu girl "should not exist". He also hit out at a Congress leader by dragging his Muslim wife into a Twitter spat. "We have to rethink the priorities of our society. We shouldn't think of caste. If a Hindu girl is touched by a hand, then that hand should not exist," said Anantkumar Hegde in Karnataka's Kodagu district, adding to a growing list of controversial, ill-considered comments.

The remarks of the BJP leader were also condemned by Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao, who also termed the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship as "deplorable". "Wht are ur achievements after becoming a Union Minister or as MP? Wht are ur contributions for Karnataka's development? All I can say for sure, it's deplorable tht such people have become ministers & have managed to get elected as MP's," Rao tweeted.

On Monday, Congress party chief Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and wrote, "This man is an embarrassment to every Indian. He's unfit to be a Union Minister and deserves to be sacked."

This man is an embarrassment to every Indian. He's unfit to be a Union Minister and deserves to be sacked. https://t.co/SbrvEdQBur

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 28, 2019

However, the condemnation by Karnataka Congress president Rao didn't go down well with Hegde, who stooped to a new low and dragged his Muslim wife Tabu Rao. "I shall definitely answer this guy @dineshgrao's queries, before which could he please reveal himself as to who he is along with his achievements? I only know him as a guy who ran behind a Muslim lady," Hegde tweeted back. Union Minister of State for Employment and Skill Development had in that past said that people should identify themselves with their religion and caste rather than being secular. Hegde also said the Constitution too would be changed in accordance with such thinking. 

Reacting to the Hedge's comment, Tabu Gundu Rao, said, 'I only know him as a guy who ran behind a Muslim lady': First, he never ran away with me, it is a sanctimonious marriage. To drag me into it is getting way below the belt & pathetic. "There's a line, leaders need to draw. They should mind their language. I want to state that I am not a political person, I am a housewife. Why do you want to use me to polarise elections? At least you should redeem his chair," she added.

Also Read: Modi's minister Anantkumar Hegde kicks up new row with 'Hindu girl' remark

"We are here to change the Constitution," Hegde had said during a function organised by the Brahmana Yuva Parishat and women's organisation at Kukkanur in December, 2017. He also described secular people as those who do not have an identity of their parental blood. "Those claiming to be secular and progressive do not have an identity of their parents and their blood. One will get self-respect through such identity," he had said.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Anant Kumar said that any hand that touches a Hindu girl "should not exist".
• Anant Kumar is an embarrassment to every Indian: Rahul Gandhi.
• Hedge's comment was also condemned by Karnataka Congress president.