India is a Hindu nation, I`m a `Hindu Christian`: Goa Dy CM Francis D`Souza

Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar

Panaji: In comments that may trigger a controversy, senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Goa Francis D`Souza, Friday, said that India is Hindu nation and he considers himself a `Christian Hindu`.

D`Souza made the remark while defending his cabinet colleague Deepak Dhavalikar who said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could make the country a `Hindu nation`.

"It was always a Hindu nation and will always be a Hindu nation. You don`t have to create a Hindu nation," D`Souza said.

The Mapusa MLA, who is considered number two-man in the Parrikar cabinet, went on to assert that he considered himself a "Christian Hindu". "India is a Hindu country. It is Hindustan. All Indians in Hindustan are Hindus, including I - I am a Christian Hindu," D`Souza said.

D`Souza insisted that Dhavalikar had no "clarity in his mind" because India was already a Hindu nation.

Cooperation minister Pandurang `Deepak` Dhavalikar courted controversy when he said that India would become a `Hindu Rashtra` under the leadership of Modi. Belonging to the Maharashtrawadi Goamntak Party (MGP), an alliance partner of Bharatiya Janata Party government, Dhavlikar made the statement while speaking on a motion in the Goa assembly congratulating Modi for becoming the PM.

"If we all support it and we stand by Narendra Modi systematically, then I feel a Hindu Rashtra will be established," Dhavalikar said.

His elder brother Ramkrishna Dhavlikar, who is also a minister, had recently courted controversy by opposing pub culture and tourists wearing bikinis in Goa .