New Delhi: BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde's swipe at Mahatma Gandhi has irked the top party leadership and he may be forced to apologise, party sources said on Monday.
A senior BJP leader said the Karnataka leader's comments were "condemnable" and the party leadership is upset with him.
"The party has conveyed its displeasure to him and asked him to take remedial measure. Any insult to Mahatma Gandhi is unacceptable," he said.
Hegde, a former Union minister, reportedly claimed at an event in Bangaluru that the entire freedom movement was staged with the consent and support of the British, and the independence movement led by Gandhi was a "drama".
He also wondered why the Father of the Nation was called 'Mahatma' (a great soul). The party leader said the Lok Sabha MP is a "disciplined" member of the party and will do what he has been asked to.
Hegde, known for hardline Hindutva leanings, has a history of making controversial remarks.
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Mangaluru: A man against whom 35 arrest warrants had been issued for failing to appear before court was arrested at Mangaluru International Airport upon his arrival from abroad.
The accused, identified as Abbas G, a resident of Peruvai in Bantwal, was wanted in connection with a case registered at Vital Police Station under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 504 (provoke with intention of breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt using weapons), and 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) read with 149 of the Indian Penal Code.
Abbas had repeatedly failed to appear before the court for trial and had been absconding abroad for a prolonged period.
Acting on specific information about his return, immigration authorities alerted the police, following which a team from Vital Police Station apprehended him at the airport.
The operation was carried out by Head Constable Mohan and Police Constables Venkappa.
He was subsequently produced before the jurisdictional court, which remanded him in judicial custody.
