BJP wants Manju sacked from Cabinet for controversial remark

The State BJP on Monday demanded the dismissal of Animal Husbandry Minister A Manju from the Siddaramaiah Cabinet for his reported statement that Union Environment Minister Anil Dave’s death might have been due to a curse for his involvement in the Centre’s decision to ban sale of cattle to slaughter houses.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, BJP state spokesperson S Suresh Kumar said Manju’s statement was “absolutely insensitive, unimaginably cruel and unhesitatingly irresponsible” and he had no moral right to continue in the office.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Sunday, Manju had slammed the Centre for the ban stating that it will hit the farmers hard and reportedly went on to add, “probably the Union Minister who died recently might have been hit by a curse for signing it.”

Kumar recalled that in 2001, the then minister in the Congress government T John had to quit the ministry for making an irresponsible and insensitive statement. John had said that the earthquake in Gujarat in January 2001, that took a toll of hundreds of lives, was due to the “wrath of god” for killing of minorities.