Bengaluru: Bengaluru South MP Tejaswi Surya, on Sunday, December 23, sparked a fresh controversy by saying that most of the people protesting against the CAA are illiterate and own puncture repair shops, a perceived veiled attack against Muslims and Dalits.

Speaking at a pro-CAA rally at the Town Hall in the city, he stated that the students are being misled on this issue.

Tejasvi Surya, who is known for his anti-Muslim, OBC and Dalit statements, “If you split open their chests, you won’t even find four words. These are the kinds of people protesting against the CAA.”

He continued to say that the people who are opposing the CAA own puncture repair shops on the roadside and are illiterates as they do not understand the Act.

He then began to hit out at the opposition parties and those protesting against the law. Attacking the Congress, he pointed out that it was Manmohan Singh when he was Prime Minister, who first proposed the NRC and CAA to end the menace of illegal immigrants.

Surya’s statement received sharp criticism with several stating that a puncture repair job is better than creating unrest in the society. They also blamed the Hindutva forces for hindering the OBCs and Dalits from getting a good education till the arrival of the British rulers.

Yuva Brigade’s Chakravarthy Sulibele, who was also present at the pro-CAA rally, also stirred up controversy when he said that Dr B.R. Ambedkar had suggested that the Muslims should leave India and settle down in Pakistan after the partition.