Karnataka Minister BC Patil on Monday said that he will ask the Central government to bring a law that would allow anyone shouting anti-India slogans to be 'shot at sight'.
"I will ask central government to bring a law to shoot at sight those who shout slogans against India. Nowadays it has become a fashion for some youths to get popularity this way which spoils the country & patriotism," Patil said.
This is not the first time that the Karnataka Minister has made such controversial statements. In another statement, Patil likened those who say 'Pakistan Zindabad' to Coronavirus.
His statement was in reference to Amulya Leona, the girl who had raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan in the presence of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi at an anti-CAA rally in Bengaluru. She is currently in judicial custody.
"If anyone in Pakistan says Jai Bharat Mata, in five minutes he will be beheaded. These people in our country, eat our food, drink our water, take in our air and say Pakistan zindabad. Are they not traitors? They are like coronavirus," he said.
He also reiterated the shoot-at-sight statement couple of days ago in Chitradurga, Karnataka, calling for the killing of people raising pro-Pakistan slogans. "In my opinion, there is a need for a law that has to be brought in India - shoot-at-sight. The law has to be brought in for those who speak ill of the country or raise pro-Pakistan slogans. It is very much needed." Patil said.
Both the Congress and JDS party in the state slammed the minister for making such statements, with many daring him to raise the issue before the Karnataka cabinet.
"He sounds so stupid. It shows BJP MLAs and leaders are busy impressing somebody who is non-entity. This country was, is and will be run by the Constitution and we have to abide by the law," JDS leader Tanveer Ahmed said.
After the fall of the HD Kumaraswamy government in July last year, BJP's BS Yediyurappa formed the government with the help of his party's 105 MLAs and one Independent legislator.