BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal Wants Corporators to Work For Welfare of Hindus, Tells Them to Keep Muslims Out

Speaking at a public meeting, Yatnal said that the Corporators must work for the development of the Hindu community who have voted them to power.

New Delhi, June 7: A BJP MLA from Bijapur City in Karnataka, Basangouda Patil Yatnal, on Thursday stirred a controversy after a purported video of him urging Corporators to only work for the welfare of Hindus and not Muslims emerged. Speaking at a public meeting, Yatnal said that the Corporators must work for the development of the Hindu community who have voted them to power.

“I never asked Muslims to vote me, I had faith in Hindus that they would vote for me. Hindus are the one who ensured my win in the elections. I will work to develop Hindu community, not the Muslims,” he reportedly said in the video.

“I’m telling you Corporators, don’t work for the welfare for Muslims. You must work for the welfare of Hindus only. Who voted us to power?” Yatnal reportedly said, to which, the crowd responded by saying “Hindus”.

He also claimed that he had told his staff to not let anyone wearing skull caps or burqas visit his office. “I had said no to Muslims initially…I had instructed my people that those with topi (skull cap) and burkha should not come and stand in my office or beside me,” he was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Defending his statement at a press conference, Basangouda Patil Yatnal asked if ” Is speaking in the favour of Hindus wrong?” He also stated that the Karnataka elections was a war between the Hindus and Muslims.

There is no clarity on how old the video is but since there’s a Shivaji poster in the background, it is speculated that the video was probably shot on Shivaji Jayanti.