'Goli maro,' who said ?: Anurag Thakur

Changigarh: Union Minister Anurag Thakur, who has been under Opposition fire over his alleged hate speech during Delhi assembly polls, on Sunday said strict action should be taken against those involved in the communal riots in the national capital which claimed over 42 lives.

He was asked to comment on the alleged hate speeches made by him and other BJP leaders in the run-up to the Delhi elections and how such vitriolic speeches led to the riots in the city.

"Strict action should be taken against those involved in (Delhi) the riots. The strength of our country is that people of various faiths coexist and live unitedly contributing towards nation building," Thakur said. Asked again about his alleged hate speech, Thakur said, "I think sometimes there is lack of information in the media too regarding the way some things are projected."

Evading further response on the issue, the Union minister chose to talk about the country's economy.

When journalists mentioned the wordings of the alleged hate speech, "desh ke gaddaron ko...Goli Maro" he raised at a rally in Delhi, the Minister of State for Finance said, "You are lying. you people should first enhance your knowledge. half-knowledge is dangerous. The matter is sub judice, so I am not commenting further."

Menwhile, a controversy erupted on Sunday after a video went viral showing a group of people carrying BJP flags and going in a procession in central Kolkata raising the provocative "goli maro" slogan.

The video surfaced on a day Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah addressed a rally in central Kolkata''s Shahid Minar Maidan.