Karnataka Congress Minister Declares Islam “Superior”
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Karnataka Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy has invited the wrath of Hindu organisations after describing Islam as “superior to other religions.”
Speaking at Kuknoor town in Koppal district, Rayareddy described Islam as a great and highly humanitarian religion. He said the religion was based on science and taught people how to live.
Rayareddy went on to say that he had not extensively studied the Abrahamic religions. He added that while he did not frequently visit temples or maths, he studied religions and different histories.
His remarks have raised an obvious question: how does a minister arrive at the conclusion that one religion is superior to all others without having extensively studied the religions he is comparing?
The statement immediately triggered a political backlash.
Hours after Rayareddy's remarks, Karnataka BJP chief R Ashoka demanded an answer from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying the minister's comments had demeaned Hinduism. Ashoka also referred to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's frequent temple visits.
“D.K. Shivakumar, is there no end to this anti-Hindu mindset of your Congress government? You put on a show of visiting temples at dawn, performing devotion in front of the cameras, but why do you stay silent only when a minister in your own Cabinet makes derogatory statements about Sanatan Hindu Dharma and temples?” Ashoka wrote on X.
He demanded Rayareddy's resignation if the minister did not apologise.
“Listen closely to the arrogant statements of Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy. By saying ‘I don't go to mutts or temples,’ he has belittled the faith centres of millions of Hindus in the state. By making statements like ‘Islam is superior to other religions,’ he has demeaned Sanatan Dharma,” Ashoka said.
“Our demand is clear: First, Basavaraj Rayareddy must withdraw his statements and seek forgiveness from all Hindus in the state. If he is not prepared to do so, Shivakumar must demonstrate his commitment by removing him from the Cabinet.
“Otherwise, one thing becomes clear to millions of Hindus in Kannada land: Your temple visits are not for devotion; your words are not out of respect for Hindu Dharma; everything is solely for votes, for show,” he added.
BJP spokesperson Ashok Gowda also attacked Rayareddy and the Congress government, accusing the minister of trying to appease his voters.
“Basavaraj Rayareddy seems to be stuck in the seventh century to appease his voters. I request everybody to read the texts of different religions and then make conclusions. You are not an expert; please remember that,” Gowda said.
The controversy assumes added significance because Rayareddy is not an ordinary political figure. He served as financial adviser to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and became a minister during D.K. Shivakumar's Cabinet expansion earlier this month.
The issue, therefore, is not merely about what one minister believes about a particular religion.
It is about what a minister says publicly, from a political platform, while holding constitutional office and whether the Congress government believes that declaring one religion “superior” to others is acceptable political discourse.
Speaking at Kuknoor town in Koppal district, Rayareddy described Islam as a great and highly humanitarian religion. He said the religion was based on science and taught people how to live.
“Those who know nothing about Islam make incorrect assumptions and form wrong opinions about it. I would like to say that Islam is superior to all other religions because it begins with humanity,” the minister said.
His remarks have raised an obvious question: how does a minister arrive at the conclusion that one religion is superior to all others without having extensively studied the religions he is comparing?
The statement immediately triggered a political backlash.
Hours after Rayareddy's remarks, Karnataka BJP chief R Ashoka demanded an answer from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying the minister's comments had demeaned Hinduism. Ashoka also referred to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's frequent temple visits.
“D.K. Shivakumar, is there no end to this anti-Hindu mindset of your Congress government? You put on a show of visiting temples at dawn, performing devotion in front of the cameras, but why do you stay silent only when a minister in your own Cabinet makes derogatory statements about Sanatan Hindu Dharma and temples?” Ashoka wrote on X.
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“Listen closely to the arrogant statements of Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy. By saying ‘I don't go to mutts or temples,’ he has belittled the faith centres of millions of Hindus in the state. By making statements like ‘Islam is superior to other religions,’ he has demeaned Sanatan Dharma,” Ashoka said.
“Our demand is clear: First, Basavaraj Rayareddy must withdraw his statements and seek forgiveness from all Hindus in the state. If he is not prepared to do so, Shivakumar must demonstrate his commitment by removing him from the Cabinet.
“Otherwise, one thing becomes clear to millions of Hindus in Kannada land: Your temple visits are not for devotion; your words are not out of respect for Hindu Dharma; everything is solely for votes, for show,” he added.
BJP spokesperson Ashok Gowda also attacked Rayareddy and the Congress government, accusing the minister of trying to appease his voters.
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The controversy assumes added significance because Rayareddy is not an ordinary political figure. He served as financial adviser to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and became a minister during D.K. Shivakumar's Cabinet expansion earlier this month.
The issue, therefore, is not merely about what one minister believes about a particular religion.
It is about what a minister says publicly, from a political platform, while holding constitutional office and whether the Congress government believes that declaring one religion “superior” to others is acceptable political discourse.