Patna, Oct 22 (IANS): BJP MP from Bihar’s Araria Lok Sabha constituency Pradeep Singh on Tuesday stirred controversy, stating that if the people want to live in Araria they should become Hindu.

“People should become Hindu if they want to live in Araria. They should then marry people of the same caste,” Pradeep Singh said while addressing a gathering in Araria during the Hindu Swabhiman Yatra led by Union Minister Giriraj Singh.

The yatra attracted a large crowd who eagerly listened to Giriraj Singh and Pradeep Singh speak.

Earlier, BJP state chief Dilip Jaiswal has said that the party has distanced from the Union Minister yatra.

Jaiswal said that Giriraj Singh was conducting the Yatra in a personal capacity and that it was not organised by the BJP.

Giriraj Singh is known for his hardline stand while Pradeep Singh’s statements might escalate discussions about religious identity and politics in Bihar.

Giriraj Singh's Hindu Swabhiman Yatra, which began on October 18 in Bhagalpur, is set to conclude in Kishanganj on Tuesday.

His remarks are particularly contentious given that Araria, along with other districts in the Seemanchal region like Katihar, Purnea, and Kishanganj, has a sizable Muslim population.

Such statements have the potential to provoke communal tensions in the region, especially as the Seemanchal area is known for its religious diversity.

The timing of the Hindu Swabhiman Yatra, right before the Bihar by-elections on November 13, adds a political layer to the event. The Yatra, while being presented as a cultural-religious movement, has significant electoral importance, particularly in these districts with mixed populations.

The focus on Hindu identity during the Yatra might be seen as an attempt to consolidate the Hindu vote in these districts where the Muslim community plays a key role in the electoral landscape.