Dairy Development Minister K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji, who is at the centre of a political controversy over his remarks that “Islamic terrorism” will fuel “Hindu terrorism” and that the murder of a BJP functionary in Tiruchi recently had a religious angle to it, appears to have been isolated within the State Cabinet.

Several Ministers are said to have told Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami that the continuance of Mr. Bhalaji as a Minister would not be desirable. Mr. Palaniswami is said to be keeping his cards close to his chest.

Mr. Bhalaji had recently stated that if the DMK “continues its support for Islamic terrorism and organisations that kill Hindus, nobody can stop Hindu terrorism”. The DMK has since written to Governor Banwarilal Purohit, seeking Mr. Bhalaji’s dismissal from the Cabinet — a demand endorsed by other parties, including the Congress.

‘Religious angle’

Also, on the issue of the BJP office-bearer’s murder, the Minister’s view contradicted the stand of the Tiruchi Commissioner of Police, V. Varadharaju, who had emphatically ruled out a communal angle to the incident and had attributed the crime to “personal enmity”. But the Minister has insisted on there being a “religious angle” to the murder.

Mr. Bhalaji could not be reached for comment.