NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Tuesday sharply condemned the controversial “Mini Pakistan” remark made by Maharashtra BJP minister Nitesh Rane. He further said that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi “has any shame” about Rane’s statements, he should sack him immediately.
“From time to time, the BJP deploys its hate mongers to spew venom against Kerala.Using terms like ‘Mini Pakistan’ shows they have deep-rooted animosity for the people of Kerala,” Venugopal wrote in his post on X.
“If PM Modi has any shame about Mr. Rane’s statements, he should sack him immediately. The people of Kerala have rejected, and will never accept the BJP for this very reason – they do not understand the beauty of its harmonious living,” the post further added.
Venugopal, citing Kerala’s achievements in human development, particularly in education, healthcare, and overall living standards, argued that Kerala is a model state for the rest of the world. “Since millennia, Kerala has been a beacon of communal harmony and brotherhood among all religions and sects,” he wrote.
The controversy erupted after Nitesh Rane, during a rally in Pune, called Kerala “Mini Pakistan” and suggested that Congress leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi were elected due to support from “terrorists” in the state. His remark, which was widely condemned, specifically targeted the Congress leadership in Kerala, claiming that “all terrorists vote for them.” Rane’s comments sparked outrage, with critics accusing him of promoting hate and divisiveness.
Kerala is very much part of India: Rane clarifies
Following the backlash, Rane attempted to clarify his statement, stating that he did not mean to imply Kerala was outside India. Instead, he claimed that his comparison was based on the treatment of Hindus in Kerala, which he likened to the persecution of Hindus in Pakistan. “I was just stating the facts,” Rane said, defending his position by alleging that religious conversions and “love jihad” were issues growing in Kerala.
“Kerala is very much part of India. However, the decreasing population of Hindus is something everyone should worry about. The religious conversion of Hindus into Muslims and Christians (Islam and Christianity) has become an everyday occurrence there.”
“The love jihad cases, where Hindu women are targeted, are also increasing there. I was comparing the situation in Kerala with Pakistan. The way Hindus are treated in Pakistan, if such situations happen in our very own country, we must take action against that. That is what I was trying to say in my speech,” Rane said.
“The entire situation can be compared. I was just stating the facts. I was accompanied by a gentleman who has helped 12,000 Hindu women by stopping them from getting converted to Islam and Christianity. What I said about Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, you ask anyone in the Wayanad constituency,” the BJP leader further added.
Despite his clarification, opposition leaders continued to call for Rane’s removal from his ministerial position. Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe Patil questioned why Rane remained in the BJP cabinet, accusing him of promoting divisive rhetoric.
