Maharashtra Minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane also sparked controversy when he made comments about EVMs while addressing the public. His comments drew widespread criticism, not only from the opposition but also from his NDA ally, the Republican Party of India (Athawale).
Speaking at the Hindu Garjana Sabha in Maharashtra’s Sangli on Friday, Rane said the EVM, which stands for Electronic Voting Machine, means “All Votes Against Mullah”.
“You know how our opponents are fussing about EVMs. They can’t digest how Hindus vote for Hindu unity. They always blame EVMs. They don’t understand the meaning of EVM. They don’t understand in what context Hindus have voted in recent elections. EVM means ‘all votes against Mullah’ from the seat of Kankavali said.
“We don’t need Muslim votes to win the election. I didn’t go to the Muslim community to ask for votes. I said you can do whatever you want. But this time the Hindus know and they made us win,” he added.
This is not the first time that Rane has made such strange statements.
In December of last year, Rane called Kerala “mini Pakistan” and said “all terrorists voted for Gandhis”, while referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
After backtracking, Rane clarified his words and said that he had only raised the issues of Hindu conversion and the love of jihad in Kerala.
OPPOSITE, NDA ALLY REACT
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticized Rane for his EVM speech and said targeting the public was wrong and that his comments were “shocking”.
“This is really shocking. In our country, we really have to understand the basic lesson of the freedom struggle, that when some people said that religion belongs to their nation and then they went to build Pakistan. Mahatma Gandhi said: ‘We will fight for freedom for everyone and we will create a country for everyone, we will write a Constitution for everyone man and everyone will live here with equal rights’, he said while talking to. ANI’s new agency.
“I must say that people who choose any one community, whether it is against Muslims, Hindus, Christians, or any kind of caste, all that is wrong. We are all equal citizens of India, and that is the only basis on which our country can progress,” Tharoor added.
Union Minister and RPI (A) chief Ramdas Athawale, whose party is part of the BJP-led NDA, also expressed his disapproval of Rane’s remarks and advised him not to take such a drastic step.
“Nitesh Rane is a minister in Maharashtra. This is a wrong statement. One should not say such things. The country runs according to the Constitution. Nitesh Rane should not take such a drastic step. Muslims are also ours. They should not attack anyone. every time,” he said.
AIMIM leader Waris Pathan lashed out at the Maharashtra government saying it had ‘rewarded’ Rane with a cabinet berth for “harassing Muslims”.
“It is Nitesh Rane’s old habit of making disgusting statements like this, he has become a minister and now the government has rewarded him for torturing Muslims, he should refrain from speaking such words. He has 20 fires registered against him, but the government. it does not take action against him,” he said news agency PTI.
Echoing similar sentiments, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Manoj Jha said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not taking action against BJP ministers who were giving hate speech.
“PM Modi says this is Buddha’s time and not Yuddha (war). But the ministers of his party do not listen to him. PM Modi talks a lot but he can’t control his ministers who are spreading poison. He should control his ministers,” he said.
(with input from agencies)