Slammed for 'convert Muslims, Christians' comment, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya withdraws remark

Under fire over his controversial remarks that all who converted to other faiths should be brought back to Hinduism, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya has withdrawn his statement.

The MP from Bengaluru South had sparked controversy after he said that the only way to save Hinduism is to reconvert Muslims and Christians.

He further said that all temples and Hindu religious places should set themselves yearly targets of bringing people back to what he called their 'mother religion'.

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'Either by force or fraud, the Hindu has been taken away from his mother religion. There is only one solution to address this anomaly, those people who have left their mother religion and have, for various socio-political, economic reasons over the course of India's history, gone out of the Hindu fold must be brought back. They must have brought back to the mother faith,' the BJP Yuva Morcha chief said.

Surya was speaking on 'Hindu Revival' at the Sri Krishna Mutt in Karnataka's Udupi.

The MP on Monday tweeted that his statement has "regretably created an unavoidable controversy". He added that he is "unconditionally withdrawing" his statement.