Cutting across party lines, political leaders in India condemned Bharatiya Janata Party honcho Subramanian Swamy for making objectionable comments about mosques and churches. The senior leader sparked controversy by saying mosques and churches are not religious places but mere buildings where believers offer prayers. On the other hand, he said temples are home to Gods.

“Mosques are demolished periodically everywhere in the world. Even during the British era, mosques were demolished in India,” he said.

Even on his last visit to Assam in November 2014, Swamy sparked controversy by making similar comments.

Calling Swamy’s comments bizarre, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, temples, mosques as well as churches are holy places and not merely places of worship.

Swamy’s colleague and Bharatiya Janata Party president for Assam, Siddhartha Bhattacharjee, too, criticized his remarks.

“It is a ploy to grab the headlines,” Bhattacharjee said, adding, “Every time he comes to the state, he makes such statements only to be in the news. I am sending video clippings of his statements to our national leadership. Whatever he said are his personal views.”

Badruddin Ajmal, president of All India United Democratic Front, demanded an apology from Swamy, accusing him of spreading communal terror. He also urged the state government to take action against him. Additionally, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti lodged a first-information-report against Swamy with Latasil Police Station, saying the politician had attempted to hatch a criminal conspiracy and promote enmity on grounds of religion, race and language in the state of Assam.

Photo Credits: New Indian Express