SHIVAMOGGA: Karnataka agriculture minister B C Patil on Saturday repeated his controversial comment that those raising slogans against India should be shot dead.

“People who raise slogans like ‘Pakistan Zindabad ’ are anti-nationals. Anyone who dares to say ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ in Pakistan will be beheaded in five minutes. Aren’t people residing in India and shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ traitors?” he asked. This is a repeat of the comment that Patil, a former police officer, made last Sunday at Chitradurga that anti-nationals should be shot dead. When asked about it, he defended his statement and said he “will repeat it anywhere in India”.

He also urged the Centre to frame laws “to tackle such anti-national elements”. Two weeks ago, Karnataka tourism minister C T Ravi had tweeted in support of Union minister Anurag Thakur , who led a crowd into chanting “shoot the traitor” slogan at a poll rally in Delhi. “Anti-nationals should get bullet and not biryani,” he had tweeted. Revenue minister R Ashoka had said “anyone indulging in anti-national activities” should be shot dead.

