The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday said that they will explore legal recourse against Kerala Assembly Speaker AN Shamseer’s controversial remarks about a Hindu deity, claiming that his comments were aimed at creating communal tension in the state.

Both the parties are upset over allegedly remarks made by the Speaker at a ‘Vidya Jyothi’ programme held at a government school in Ernakulam district of the state last week.

BJP’s state committee member has filed a complaint with the Thiruvananthapuram Police Commissioner against the Speaker over his alleged remarks, the party’s Kerala unit said in a social media post.

“On 21.07.23 Shamseer made the controversial remark at the Vidyajyoti Parupadi held at Kunnathnad GHSS. The speaker, who is vocal about the Islamic faith, disparages Hindu beliefs with the aim of creating communal tension,” the complaint stated.

BJP’s National Information and Technology Department in-charge Amit Malviya claimed that the Speaker was exploiting his position to denigrate the Hindu faith and beliefs.

“A N Shamseer, Speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly, is a religious bigot, who is exploiting his position in public life, to denigrate Hindu faith and beliefs. Hindumisia (Hinduphobia) is deep rooted in the Communists, who have now forged an alliance with the Congress, a self proclaimed Muslim party…,” he said.

Slamming the grand old party over its silence on the issue, he tweeted: “Will Rahul Gandhi, a former MP from Kerala, disassociate the Congress from such Hindu hating views or endorse it with this silence?”

Meanwhile, the Kerala unit of the VHP has decided to file complaints against the Speaker in all police stations across the state and hold protests at various places.

Speaking to news agency PTI, VHP state president Viji Tampi said, “We will also move the Kerala High Court on the issue if the High Court does not take up the matter on its own.”

Besides the BJP and VHP, the Kerala Kshetra Samrakshana Samiti has decided to hold a march to the secretariat on Wednesday, July 26, demanding an apology from the Speaker. Ascetics, tantris, priests and leaders of various Hindu organisations will participate in the march, it said, adding that devotees are also welcome to participate.

(With PTI Inputs)