Southern MP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tejasvi Surya sparked a political brawl after calling for a “Ghar Wapsi” of people who converted from Hindu faith to other religions as a way to protect and revisit religion.

Speaking at Udupi Krishna Mutt on Saturday, the young MP continued his provocative style of community speech amid concerns over the state government’s controversial anti-conversion bill.

“Those people who left their mother religion and did so for various socio-political and economic reasons throughout the history of India. Those who have come out of the Hindu fold must be brought back in their entirety, brought back to the mother faith, to the Hindu faith, ”Surya said during his hour-long speech in the coastal district.

Surya did not stop there with his speech, which continued to attack the ideas of other religions.

“Christianity and Islam are not just religions. These are imperial political ideologies, and Hindus should understand that, ”he said.

He added that it was essential for Hindus to understand “who are their enemies”.

“The first thing we need to do is identify who is trying to wipe our religion off the face of the earth. It is essential for the survival of Hinduism and the Hindu race, ”he said.

The speech drew adulation from the hard right-wing and criticism from society as a whole.

“If everyone has a #GharWapsi as desired by the BJP, where exactly will they fit into the varna system or will they all be considered Brahmins by default? It would be an interesting proposition for #GharWapsi, ”Priyank Kharge, former minister and congressional lawmaker from Kalaburagi said in a Twitter post.

“And those ‘brought back’ people will be casteless, I suppose?” All this Hinduism is threatened is a ploy of the Hindutva brigade to re-establish the hierarchical caste society ”, declared Karti Chidambaram, congressman of Tamil Nadu.

These statements come at a time when there have been attacks on the Christian community in Karnataka, which, under the BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai, attempted to implement the contentious laws that are central to the beliefs of its ideological parent. , RSS.

These include the recently mentioned anti-conversion law, anti-cattle slaughter legislation, and the special marriage law or what the right calls “the jihad of love.”

There have been allegations of similar hate speech against prominent clairvoyants and other politicians across the country, adding to community tensions in the country.

A video of prominent Hindu seers making provocative remarks at an event in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, December 17-19 has gone viral on social media.

Another speech by a controversial politician, Asaduddin Owaisi had made provocative remarks during an election speech in Uttar Pradesh.

“Please remember that Yogi will not always be the Chief Minister. Modi will not be the prime minister forever. We Muslims will not forget your injustice. We will remember this injustice. Allah will destroy you with his might. Things will change. Who will come to save you then? When Yogi returns to his mutt and Modi retires to the mountains, then who will come? Owaisi said, drawing sharp criticism.