New Delhi, Feb 2: Nearly one-and-a-half-year after Narendra Modi used puppy analogy while referring to the deaths of thousands of innocent Muslims in the 2002 Gujarat riots, a female leader of saffron party has delivered a similar hate speech against Muslims sparking off a fresh controversy.
The saffron robe-wearing Sadhvi Prachi, in a bid to defend her recent controversial remarks, asserted that she only asked Hindu women to produce four children, not 40 puppies. "I asked people to have 4 kids, not 40 puppies," she said.
Speaking at a public meeting she leveled a series of allegations against non-Hindu Indians and accused Muslims of trapping Hindu girls through ‘love jihad’. “These people who give birth to 35-40.... are spreading love jihad..... They are trying to make Hindustan into Darul Islam,” she said.
"When I made the remarks, it was as if the country was hit by a quake. The media said you have sparked an uproar with your remarks on four children. I said I have only advocated four children for Hindus not 40 puppies. And it is important because the country needs it," the saffron clad leader said at a function organised here by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) which "felicitated" Hindus who have more than four children.
Prachi had contested the 2012 Assembly elections on BJP ticket from Purkazi constituency in UP. She was among persons accused of inciting riots through their provocative speeches in Muzaffarnagar in 2013 and was later granted bail.
The BJP was quick to distance itself from Prachi's remarks, saying the party does not agree with such views and is not interested in discussing any such issue.
"The BJP does not agree with any such comment. We do not think that the comments are correct. BJP does not want to discuss any issue other than good governance and even the people are not ready to accept any such discussion.
"Under such circumstances, there is no significance of such remarks," said chief of BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit Laxmikant Bajpai.
He asserted that the leader was not speaking at a party platform. Prachi felicitated 20 persons, who had more than four children at the 'Virat Hindu Sammelan' organised by VHP here yesterday. Those "honoured" included Dwarika Singh, who have 11 children, Rampal Singh and Surnam Singh, who have nine children each.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Sadhvi Prachi said, "Why family planning is implemented for Hindus only."
On "Ghar Wapasi", she said that if 1,400 years ago everyone was Hindu, "UP Urban Development Minister Azam Khan, Jama Masjid's Imam Bukhari, former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Yusuf Raza Gilani should also do ghar wapasi", a term used for reconverting into Hinduism.
Prachi said that she was not against love but against "Love Jihad". "A campaign is being run to trap Hindu girls in the name of love," she said. The sadhvi had drawn criticism last month over her remarks that Hindu women should have four kids.
"Earlier we used to say 'hum do hamare do'. But now we have started saying that 'sher ka bachcha ek hi achha' (for a lion, one offspring is enough). This is wrong," Prachi had said at a gathering in Bhilwara.
"If there is one child, where all will you send him? To protect the border... or make him a scientist or he will take care of business.... So, we need four children. One can go to protect the borders, one can serve the society, give one to the saints and one to VHP to serve the nation and protect the culture. This is very important," she had said.
Demanding a law to ban forced conversions, Prachi had supported the VHP's 'Ghar Wapsi' or reconversion programme. "If a son is angry due to the some reason and leaves the house, should he not be allowed to return. Should the family not accept him?
"That's why 'Ghar Wapsi' should be supported," she said. Earlier, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj drew criticism when he asked Hindu women to have at least four children, with the opposition accusing BJP of trying to polarise the atmosphere.
BJP on its part had distanced itself from the remarks of Maharaj, who was also served a show cause notice, and urged its workers and public representatives to refrain from making such comments.
Accept Hindu identity or go to Pakistan!
She had also lashed out at All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi and said that all Indians are Hindus and if he cannot accept it, he must move to Pakistan.
"Every child born in India is a Hindu. Owaisi's father was born in India, and is also a Hindu. If Owaisi cannot accept Hindu identity, he must move to Pakistan."
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