No stranger to making controversial remarks, Haryana cabinet minister Anil Vij on Sunday compared Congress chief Rahul Gandhi with the dangerous Nipah Virus which has claimed many lives across the country. “Rahul Gandhi is similar to Nipah Virus. Any political party that comes in contact with him will be destroyed,” Vij tweeted from his official handle. This is not the first time that Vij has targeted Gandhi.

Notably, the minister has always been in news for making controversial remarks against prominent personalities. Here are 5 times when ANil Vij’s statements sparked a row:

1. Rahul Gandhi will help PM’s dream of ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’

Taking a swipe at Gandhi, Vij had said that his election as Congress president would help Prime Minister Narendra Modi in making India “Congress Free.”
“I welcome the decision of making Rahul Gandhi as the president of the Congress. It will help Prime Minister Narendra Modi in making ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’ (Congress Free India),” he was quoted as saying by ANI.

2. Mamata Banerjee should jump into the sea

Last year, Vij had also said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should jump into the sea if she is ‘ashamed of being born an Indian. “If she is ashamed of being born as Indian then why doesn’t she jump into the sea. It is also near to Kolkata, she should jump into it,” Vij was quoted as saying by ANI. His comments came in response to Mamata Banerjee’s remarks where she allegedly said she was “ashamed of being born an Indian”.

3. Modi bigger brand than Mahatma Gandhi

Vij had also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a bigger brand than Mahatma Gandhi. Slamming Vij, Mahatma’s grandson Tushar Gandhi said that Vij’s statement shows his mentality and alleged that the words used in his statement were not his own, but displayed his party’s mindset. The minister had said that from the time Gandhi’s name has been associated with Khadi, the industry has never been able to stand up. The Haryana minister made the comments in connection with the ongoing controversy over the Prime Minister’s photo replacing that of Gandhi in the 2017 wall calendar and table diary published by the Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

4. Taj Mahal, a beautiful graveyard

Anil Vij once termed India’s iconic building, Taj Mahal, as a beuatiful graveyard. His comment came days after Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Sangeet Som labelled the iconic site in Agra as a “blot” on Indian culture and history.

5. Gurmehar supporters are pro-Pakistan!

Reacting on a video of a Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur, Anil Vij had said that those supporting her should be thrwn out of the country. “Those supporting her (Gurmehar Kaur) are “pro-Pakistani” and should be thrown out of this country.