Maha BJP MLA reminds Pathan of Guj violence

Mumbai: A fresh controversy erupted over the statement made by former AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan that “15 crore Muslims are heavy on 100 crore.”

Hitting out at the MLA, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Girish Vyas on Saturday said Pathan should remember what happened in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, AIMIM MLA said that his statement was not “anti-Hindu.”

Vyas, who is also a BJP spokesperson, urged the Muslim community to boycott people like Pathan.

“We request the Muslim community to boycott such people. The community should teach a lesson to those who are trying to create disharmony in the society,” he added.

The MLC from Nagpur warned Pathan saying India’s youths and patriots and every BJP worker is ready to give a befitting reply to him in the same language he used.

While addressing the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rally at Kalaburagi in Karnataka on February 16, Pathan had allegedly said, “We have to move together. We have to take Azadi (freedom). Things that we don’t get by asking, we have to take it by force, remember it...15 crore is heavy on 100 crore, remember it.”

The MLC also urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to take action against Pathan for sedition and said that the Indian government should send him to Pakistan.

“We are tolerant and patient, but this not does mean that we cannot deal with them. Remember Gujarat and the incidents that happened in Kalupur. If they take that into account...I feel the Muslims there today do not dare to rise again,” he said.

Vyas was apparently referring to the 2002 post-Godhra riots in Gujarat, which killed over 1,000 people, mostly from the minority community.

The BJP leader also dared Pathan to come to his city. “We will make proper arrangements for you. Do you think we are wearing bangles? We are ready to deal with you. But we feel that there should not be any disharmony in the society,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pathan has said that his statement was not anti-Hindu. “My statement has been distorted and is being used to malign me and my party. I had said that 15 crore Muslims are against 100 people, who belong to the RSS and BJP.”