The Congress on Monday demanded an apology from Bharatiya Janata Party leader Tarun Vijay for making racist remarks about people from states in the southern part of India. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh condemned the statement. “India is a secular country,” Singh said. “Discrimination on basis of caste, creed, colour cannot be allowed here.”

“What action are you going to take?” asked senior Congress leader Malikarjun Kharge. “Otherwise we will have to agitate not only inside but outside too.” The House proceedings were disrupted after Congress leaders raised slogans against the ruling party in connection with the statement.

“Are people living in South India part of country or not?” Kharge asked. “This shows your mentality, do you want to divide India?”

Vijay had said, “If we were racist, why would....all the entire South – you know, Kerala, Tamil, Andhra, Karnataka – why do we live with them? We have blacks...black people around us.” He had made the statement while replying to questions about the alleged racist attacks on African nationals in Greater Noida during a discussion on TV channel Al Jazeera.