The Congress has filed a police complaint demanding the arrest of Ballari MLA Somashekar Reddy.
A Karnataka BJP MLA has landed in a soup for his apparent threat to Muslims who are protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act and a proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).
In a threatening message to the protesters, Ballari MLA Somashekar Reddy on Friday said opposing the new Citizenship Act will not be good for them.
"It's just a caution for those who are protesting against the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act). We are 80% and you (Muslims) are 18%. Imagine what will happen if we take charge," Reddy said.
"Beware of the majority when you live in this country. This is our country. If you want to live here, you will have to, like the Australian Prime Minister said, follow the country's traditions," he added.
"So, I warn you that CAA and NRC are made by Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and Amit Shah (Home Minister). If you go against these acts, it won't be good," the BJP MLA warned.
"If you wish, you can go to Pakistan. We don't have any issues. Intentionally, we would not send you," he further said.
Warning the Muslim community, he said they should live in harmony with Hindus or they will be treated as enemies. "If you will act as enemies, we should also react like enemies."
The opposition Congress has filed a police complaint against the MLA. Calls for his arrest were also made on the social media for his alleged hate speech.
His remarks came amid the nationwide protests against the new citizenship law and a proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). The new law promises citizenship to "illegal immigrants" belonging to minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who fled religious persecution in the three countries.
Critics say that the new law is against the secular nature of the Indian Constitution and clubbed with the NRC may be misused to strip away some Muslims' citizenship in the country. The BJP, however, has argued that the law has nothing to do with India's Muslims and only helps those who fled religious persecution in the neighbouring countries.
Some of the protests, most of them in Uttar Pradesh where 19 people have been killed, turned violent, following which the police launched a massive crackdown arresting hundreds of protesters across the state.
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 "Ballari MLA Somashekar Reddy")
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