Actor and Union minister Suresh Gopi says ‘upper castes’ should get Tribal Affairs portfolio, later backtracks

Gopi, the BJP MP from Kerala’s Thrissur and Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, made his archetypal comments portion addressing a BJP predetermination run successful New Delhi connected Sunday.

At the event, helium said, “It is simply a curse of our state that lone a idiosyncratic from the tribal assemblage tin beryllium made the curate for Tribal Affairs. It is my imagination and anticipation that idiosyncratic from extracurricular the tribal assemblage should beryllium appointed for their welfare.”

“Let a Brahmin oregon a Naidu instrumentality complaint — determination would beryllium important change. Likewise, tribal leaders should beryllium fixed the portfolio for the payment of guardant communities. Such a displacement should hap wrong our antiauthoritarian system,” helium said.

Reacting to Gopi’s remarks, CPI(M) MP K Radhakrishnan said they amounted to a usurpation of the oath of office. “The Indian Constitution ensures equality to each people. He spoke against that equality enshrined successful the Constitution. Can Gopi determine who is of noble birth?” asked Radhakrishnan, a salient Dalit look of the CPI(M).

Several different Left leaders successful Kerala besides came retired against the comments.

As the disapproval mounted, Gopi aboriginal said, “Everything that I said came from my heart. The media did not enactment distant my full statement. I had besides said that radical from backward castes should beryllium brought to look aft the affairs of the precocious castes.”

“What I meant was that this disagreement should spell and I had lone bully intentions. I person not disparaged anyone. If my mentation is not satisfactory, I americium withdrawing my statement,” helium said.

The incumbent Tribal Affairs Minister is the BJP’s Jual Oram, a salient tribal person from Odisha.

(With PTI inputs)

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