Stop buying vegetables from Muslim vendors, says Deoria BJP MLA, defends remarks

When questioned, the MLA confirmed to have made the remark and clarified that he had said it in context of those who recently attended the religious congregation of Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi.

Gorakhpur: A Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Deoria has kicked up a controversy after he was caught on camera suggesting people of his constituency to not buy vegetables from Muslim vendors. The clip was shared on social media, triggering an uproar. 

"I am saying openly don't purchase vegetables from Muslims. (Ek cheez dhayan mein rakhiyega, main bol raha hoon openly, koi bhi miyan ke hathon sabzi nahi lega)," MLA Suresh Tiwari can be heard saying in Hindi the clip.

When questioned, the MLA confirmed to have made the remark and clarified that he had said it in context of Tablighi Jamaat members. "On April 17 or 18, I was distributing masks and sanitizers among the people. When I reached the boundary of the nagar palika, around 17-18 people came to me and started complaining against Tablighi people making a chaos and spreading coronavirus and also contaminating vegetables with their saliva," he told PTI.

"I told them not to have fight with them or take the law into own hands, but simply to stop purchasing from them," he said.

"There are many Muslim vendors in Barhaj too and I only advised people not to purchase from them to be saved from the deadly virus," the MLA added.

Meanwhile, UP BJP spokesperson Chandra Mohan said the party would look into the circumstances in which the MLA issued such the statement. "At this moment, it is the responsibility of all to act responsibly and work in a manner which encourages unity," he said.