Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Dinesh Gundu Rao triggered a controversy by asking people to beat up Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with ‘chappals’ (slippers).

Rao, who was elected to the 2013 Karnataka assembly from Gandhinagar (BBMP – Central) constituency, reportedly made the remark at an event organised by the Congress to condemn the Kathua and Unnao rape incidents and demand justice for the victims.

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While describing the incidents that happened in Jammu-Kashmir – where the BJP is in power with the PDP – and in Uttar Pradesh as horrific, Rao said that Adityanath is “unfit to be the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh” and demanded his resignation.

Rao then reportedly told the people in Kannada that Adityanath should be “beaten with chappals” should the UP CM ever visit Karnataka again.

On the same day, Rao also termed the UP CM “Bhogi Adityanath” from his official Twitter handle.

“UP CM Adityanath has totally failed his people. A victim of rape found no justice, she lost her father due to inhuman treatment by UP Govt & the CM who calls himself Yogi was trying to protect the accused BJP MLA. It’s not #RamRajya but #RavanRajya under #BhogiAdityanath,” he wrote.

UP CM Adityanath has totally failed his people. A victim of rape found no justice, she lost her father due to inhuman treatment by UP Govt & the CM who calls himself Yogi was trying to protect the accused BJP MLA. It’s not #RamRajya but #RavanRajya under #BhogiAdityanath. https://t.co/FH8f3xDyYD

— Dinesh Gundu Rao (@dineshgrao) April 14, 2018

In a series of tweets, he demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately dismiss Adityanath.

“Using the name of Ram & preaching Dharma is no use if you are actually practising Adharma. Being a Yogi means you should be saintlike,” he wrote.

Sharing a link from MyNeta.org containing details of criminal cases against Adityanath, Rao wrote, “I wonder how many Yogis and Saints have his track record. And BJP leaders are going crazy because they want him to come to Karnataka and insult our CM and our state.”

The BJP criticised the Congress for Rao’s “derogatory” remark. The party, which is posing a strong challenge to the Congress in the upcoming elections in the state, has decided to launch state wide agitations against Rao.

BJP’s CM candidate and Lingayat strongman BS Yeddyurappa called the remark disrespectful of a saint from the Nath community and demanded an apology from the Congress.

“Dinesh Gundu Rao’s choice of words to address Yogi Adityanath ji has appalled me. Utter disrespect to a CM & a revered Natha family saint. The millions of Natha Panth followers of Karnataka will never forgive this. I sympathise with you and your party’s culture. #apologizetoYogi,” he wrote on Twitter while sharing the video in which Rao is seen making the remark.

Dinesh Gundu Rao’s choice of words to address Yogi Adityanath ji has appalled me. Utter disrespect to a CM & a revered Natha family saint. The millions of Natha Panth followers of Karnataka will never forgive this. I sympathise with you and your party’s culture. #apologizetoYogi pic.twitter.com/IifMq7dD7D

— B.S. Yeddyurappa (@BSYBJP) April 14, 2018

BJP spokesperson S Prakash said, “The KPCC working president has clearly violated election code of conduct. He has incited violence against CM Adityanath by calling on his supporters to hit him with chappals. Rao should be arrested.”

The party has also demanded an apology from Congress president Rahul Gandhi.