A police complaint has been filed against BJP Adilabad MP Soyam Bapu Rao after he was caught on camera threatening Muslim youth that they will be “beheaded” if they harass or misbehave with Adivasi girls or women.
A video that has gone viral on social media shows the Adivasi MP – who is also the president of Thudumdebba, an organization working for Adivasi empowerment in Telangana – addressing a gathering in Adilabad where he is heard saying: “I warn the Muslim youth, if you harass Adivasi women, Soyam Bapu Rao will behead you.”
After the video went viral, Adilabad Congress Minority Cell President Sajid Khan filed a complaint against the BJP MP with the Adilabad ASP Kancha Mohan. The Congress leader has demanded that the BJP MP apologise and take back his words. The MP’s controversial remark has also been slammed by politicians from Congress, TRS and Majlis Bachao Tehreek.
Soyam Bapu Rao (MP) Adilabad Parliamentary Constituency of @BJP4India spitting venom and openly thretening Muslims, Why the @TelanganaDGP & @adilabad_sp silent on his speech no one knows.@KTRTRS @Collector_ADB @sushilrTOI @sardesairajdeep pic.twitter.com/bJsJfjRUtq
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) June 22, 2019
"Even though PM Modi says ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, his own MP has made such a comment in a desperate bid to enter Telangana,” TRS leader Krishank said.
However, despite being condemned, the MP defended his remarks and told TNM that he made the statement to ‘instil fear’ in the Muslim youths who allegedly ‘lure’ Adivasi women. He also alleged that there were reports of 'inappropriate relationships' and exploitation.
“Muslims are eloping with Adivasi women and marrying them. They are in inappropriate relationships with women from the Chenchu community. This is the reason I have warned them and cautioned the elders. There will be a fear amongst them if I warn them right?” he told TNM.
Objecting to Muslims marrying Adivasis, he said, “Why are they behind Adivasi women? We won’t keep quite if they come behind us. We want to protect our culture.”
Though the BJP put up a dismal show in the Telangana Assembly elections, with four of their sitting MLAs losing seats, the party made a strong comeback in the Lok Sabha Elections as four BJP MPs – Soyam Bapu Rao, Bandi Sanjay, D Arvind and G Kishan Reddy – won from their respective constituencies.