2019 elections will be fought along religious lines: BJP MLA's inflammatory remark

NEW DELHI: A BJP legislator stirred the communal pot in Uttar Pradesh and claimed that leaders of opposition parties were "anti-nationals" because they espoused religious beliefs other than Hinduism.

Bairia MLA Surendra Singh made the incendiary remark at a rally in UP's Ballia and went on to say that the 2019 polls would be fought along religious lines -- between "Islam and Bhagwan (God)", to be precise.

"The Opposition is made up of anti-nationals. They have different masters, for some it is Islam, for others it is Italy," he said in an oblique jibe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

"The 2019 election will see Islam pitted against Bhagwan (God). Now it's up to the people of India to decide who will win - Islam or Bhagwan," Singh railed.



The Bairia lawmaker is no stranger to controversy and over the last few days, his unbridled commentary on the Unnao rape case have caused an outcry.

Yesterday, he defended rape accused party colleague and Bangarmau MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar with a bizarre theory about the 20-year-old victim.

"I am speaking from psychological point of view; no one can rape a mother of three children. It is not possible, this is a conspiracy against him," he said.

The victim has alleged that Sengar and his accomplices gang-raped her last year. With police refusing to take action and the perpetrators continuously intimidating and threatening her family members, the 20-year-old attempted to immolate herself outside chief minister Yogi Adityanath's residence. The next day, her father died in police custody, and the victim claimed he was killed on Sengar's behest.

Dismissing the allegations, Singh questioned the veracity of the victim's claims and said: "I have heard that the same girl had filed a false rape case against a man some years back, because of which the man had to spend six months in jail."

Singh, however, stated that if Sengar was found guilty of rape, he should be dealt with as per law.

"Narcotics test should be done of Kuldeep Singh Sengar and the complainant. The truth will then be out. If the MLA is found guilty, he should be punished," he added.

The National Commission for Women today issued a notice to Singh for his insensitive remarks about the Unnao rape victim.