Watch: ‘Will rename a mosque after Lord Vishnu,’ BJP leader Sambit Patra says during TV debate
Patra’s warning was in response to a question by the national spokesperson of the AIMIM about why the Ekana International Stadium was renamed.
Sambit to MIM spokesman “Aye Suno Allah ke bhakt ho to baith jao warna kisi masjid ka naam badal kar bhagwan Vishnu ke naam rakh doonga” pic.twitter.com/agM2ClA8SN
— Ravi Ratan (@scribe_it) November 9, 2018
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sambit Patra was in the eye of a storm after an appearance on a television panel with a member of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) on Friday.
Patra and Syed Asim Waqar, the national spokesperson of the AIMIM, were part of a panel on Aaj Tak about the renaming of cities in Uttar Pradesh. During the debate, Patra claimed Hindus had been oppressed by Muslims for centuries and names of the cities were first changed by invaders as a part of the exercise.
When Waqar asked why the BJP had changed the name of Ekana International Stadium to Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Cricket Stadium in that case, Patra asked him to keep quiet, saying, “warna kisi masjid ka naam main rakh dunga bhagwaan Vishnu ke naam pe, phir chillate rahoge” (Or else I will rename a mosque after Lord Vishnu, then you’ll keep shouting).
The comment drew the ire of several people on social media.
This happened. While the spokespersons of all major parties, including Congress, quietly watched, not uttering a word of condemnation! There are so many democratic possibilities if the major political parties grow a spine. https://t.co/AtDAtOmv2M
— Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) November 10, 2018
The full debate can be watched below: