The Telangana government on Tuesday asked Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh to either prove his allegations that the state police was radicalising Muslim youth to join the Islamic State group or tender an apology, PTI reported. Telangana Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy said if Singh does not prove his accusations, he would have to publicly apologise to the Telangana police department.

“He [Digvijaya Singh] has made a false allegation that we created something, induced Muslim children and did something. He must prove it,” Reddy said, adding that if Singh failed to apologise, he will have to face action as per the law.

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday had also asked Singh to prove his charges or apologise. “Shocked by allegations of Digvijay Singh on Telangana police encouraging Muslims to join ISIS. He should present evidence or apologise,” Naidu had said in a tweet.

On Monday, Singh had alleged that the state police had set up a “bogus” website to trap Muslim youths. He asked whether the alleged operation had the approval of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. “If he has then shouldn’t he own the responsibility and resign?” Singh said on Twitter. “If he hasn’t then shouldn’t he enquire and punish those who are responsible for committing such a heinous crime [sic].”