Communal remark in speech; complaint lodged with police against Suresh Gopi

KALPETTA: The Congress has lodged a complaint against Union Minister Suresh Gopi over his controversial statement about Waqf. In its complaint, the Congress alleged that there was a communal remark in the Union Minister's speech.

Suresh Gopi had said that the Waqf issue in Kerala was similar to the incident in Manipur and that it was a barbaric thing contained in four letters. Suresh Gopi made the controversial remark during the campaign of Navya Haridas, the NDA candidate in Wayanad. It was Congress leader Anoop VR who lodged the complaint with the police.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party led by Narendra Modi is not here to protect just one section of people. It has been made clear that this barbaric thing will be put to an end in India. We have nothing to gain by appeasing Munambam. The NDA government will definitely pass the Waqf bill in the Parliament," Suresh Gopi said.

BJP state vice president B Gopalakrishnan had also courted controversy over his odious remarks regarding the Waqf land issue.

“A friend is sitting below the holy 18 steps (mentioning Vavar Swamy). If it goes like this, he will also come up to Sabarimala claiming the land as Waqf’s. Lord Ayyappa will have to leave the holy hills. Should we allow this to continue? Velankanni is a revered place for Christians. What if Waqf claim the land as theirs? The Waqf amendment was brought to prevent this.” remarked Gopalakrishnan.