Telangana BJP chief's surgical strike comment sparks row

The Bhartiya Janata Party had stated that if the party wins the civic polls and its leader becomes the Mayor, surgical strikes will be carried out on the old city to drive away pro-Pakistan elements and Rohingyas.

Hyderabad (Telangana):BJP's Telangana state unit president Bandi Sanjay Kumar sparked a row on Tuesday with his comment that after BJP's victory in Greater Hyderabad civic polls, surgical strikes will be carried out on the old city.

While campaigning for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, the BJP leader stated that after BJP wins the polls and its leader becomes the Mayor, surgical strikes will be carried out on the old city to drive away pro-Pakistan elements and Rohingyas.

"After a BJP leader becomes the Mayor, we will do surgical strikes on the old city to chase away Pakistan supporters and Rohingyas," the MP from Karimnagar said during a roadshow in Habsiguda.

He alleged that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) are trying to win the GHMC polls with Rohingyas, Pakistani and Afghanistani voters.

"Surgical strike on Hyderabad? Has this person gone completely insane for a few votes and seats," tweeted Telangana cabinet minister and TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao.

He asked Union Minister of State for Home, G. Kishan Reddy if he condoned his colleague MP's reprehensible and hate-filled statements.

The issue of Rohingyas was first raised by BJP youth wing president Tejasvi Surya on Monday. While campaigning for the party, he said AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother Akbaruddin Owaisi allowed Rohingyas into Hyderabad.

He also said that every single vote for AIMIM will be against India and everything India stands for.

The BJP MP from Bengaluru also compared Asauddin Owaisi to the founder of Pakistan Mohammed Ali Jinnah. "He speaks the language of rabid Islamism, separatism and extremism which Mohammed Ali Jinnah did," he said.

Hitting back at BJP leaders, Asaduddin Owaisi said they were frustrated. "BJP leaders are saying that there are 30,000-40,000 Rohingyas in the voter list. They are saying anything. If there are 30,000 Rohingyas, what is (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah doing? Is he sleeping," he asked.

The AIMIM chief said the voter list is not prepared by his party. He also challenged the BJP leaders to show at least a 1,000 Rohingyas in the list.

IANS REPORT