BJP leader H Raja landed himself in trouble for making an insensitive comment after three people of a family died in a self-immolation incident outside the collector's office in Nellai, Tamil Nadu.

While most leaders in the state condemned the incident, BJP National Secretary H Raja questioned the family's "lack of faith in God,".

"Loss of faith in God leads to such self-immolation incidents. Have you ever seen anyone else burn themselves in other parts of India?", commented Raja.

Soon after, many came forward to question Raja's comment, and point out that the incident shows how a family of four was forced to attempt suicide in despair because of the atrocities of money-lenders.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Yesterday, Isaki and his family had gone to meet with the collector to complain about the strenuous pressure exhorted upon them by loan sharks. Isaki's wife had borrowed Rs 1.45 lakh from a money lender, and had paid back Rs 2.35 lakh as interest in the last 8 months.

This was Isaki's sixth meeting with the collector. After it turned out to be unfruitful too, Isaki poured petrol on himself, his wife and his two daughters -- aged five and two -- and set them all on fire.

Reporters present at the collector's office came to their rescue and managed to rush the family to a hospital, where Isaki's wife and daughters died later. An unfortunate Isaki is undergoing treatment for his 70 per cent burn injuries.

DID HE APOLOGISE?

Raja still continued his attack and claimed that Thanthai Periyar, one of the pillars of Dravidian ideology, was the man responsible for such acts as he preached against God.

"If someone believed in spirituality, he would accept that God is there and he would take care of any hard situation. In the name of instilling common sense, the basic knowledge of man to believe in God has been thwarted, which has led to such actions. So, it is time to generate faith", he explained his theory.

However, his theory has not been not welcomed by many.