Firebrand BJP MP Yogi Adityanath has stoked a fresh controversy saying VHP’s ‘ghar wapsi’ programme will continue unless conversions are banned and claimed India’s problem was “vote bank politics fuelled by jihadi fervour”.

“Conversions spoil communal amity in the country. It should be banned. If conversions continue, I feel ‘ghar wapsi’ programme will continue,” Mr. Aditynath, who is BJP’s Hindutva face, said at a meet organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Monday.

The Hindu outfit has come under criticism for its programme to “reconvert” people who it claims had changed their religion from Hinduism.

He also alleged that “anti-national activities breed” in “Muslim areas” and said the “secularists” should answer his questions.

“India’s problem is not malnutrition or poverty. India’s problem is vote bank politics fuelled by jihadi fervour. In Hindu society everyone feels safe, every mother and sister feels safe. There is guarantee of safety of each and every religious sect.

“But why does a Muslim area feel insecure? Why do anti-national activities breed there? Why do they give space to jihadi fervour and anti-India slogans.

“In an India-Pakistan cricket match if India wins, they mourn if India loses they celebrate by bursting crackers. Why? Have you ever asked these questions to the secularists of the country,” Mr. Adityanath said,

The Gorakhpur MP said Ram temple will be built in Ayodhya and batted for uniform civil code.

The BJP has been left embarrassed by the statements of its Hindutva brigade in recent months with senior Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu even blaming them for “damaging” the party’s prospects in Delhi Assembly polls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had disapproved of the remarks by party MP Sakshi Maharaj and Union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and the BJP had urged its workers and public representatives to refrain from making such comments that divert focus from government’s agenda for development.