Priyank unfazed by UP FIR over religion comment

NT Correspondent

Mumbai: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Priyank Kharge doubled down on his previous statement that religions that deny human beings dignity are diseases in the backdrop of an FIR being registered against him in Uttar Pradesh.

Kharge added that he hadn’t specified any religious faith, adding that he would respond “constitutionally” to any legal proceedings against him.

He made the comments while responding to a query by mediapersons in Mumbai.“I’m not bothered by what anyone does. Let them do whatever they want. My statement is quite clear. I haven’t commented on any single religion,” Kharge said.

“I stand by what I said back then. Any religion that discriminates among people and doesn’t preach equality is no religion at all. That is my opinion. If they think their religion is like that, then it is their problem, not mine,” he added.

Kharge added that he wasn’t fazed by the FIR.

“Let the Uttar Pradesh government do what it wants to. Let the law take its course. We will deal with it constitutionally,” he said.

Row started with TN minister The controversy erupted on September 2 when Tamil Nadu Minister for Sports and Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi spoke at a progressive writer’s programme entitled “Eradicating Sanatana Dharma From Society.

The minister went on to liken ‘Sanatana Dharma’ to dengue, malaria and corona, adding that it warranted eradication.

The BJP was furious at the statement and demanded that DMK, the ruling party in TN and its ally Congress issue a clarification.

Congress has since been a divided house with prominent leaders clarifying that the party leaders respected all religions while Dalit bigwigs with Ambedkarite leanings such as Kharge leaning towards Udhayanidhi’s stand.

The TN minister has cases filed against him in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. On Tuesday, Home Minister G Parameshwara stoked the row further by claiming that the origins of Hinduism were a mystery, inviting the wrath of the BJP. 

K’taka to lead semiconductor manufacturing: IT-BT minister

Priyank hailed Karnataka as the upcoming leading state for the manufacturing of semiconductors.

He made the remarks at the Mumbai Global Fintech Festival. He added that Karnataka was in a good position to compete with other states for global investments.

Kharge is also the Minister for Information Technology and Bio-Technology (IT-BT).