Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde, infamously known for making hate speeches, once again sparked controversy on Sunday saying that the hands which “touch” Hindu girls, should be “chopped off” and “cease to exist.”

Addressing a public event in Karnakata’s Kodagu, Hegde said, “There should be a fundamental shift in our thinking. We should keenly observe what’s happening around us. Regardless of caste and religion, a hand that touches a Hindu girl should not exist. History is written like that.”

Slamming Hegde, Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao questioned his achievements after becoming the Union minister. He also questioned Hegde’s contributions to the development of Karnataka. Terming it as “deplorable”, Rao further wondered how people like him held top positions in the government.

⁦@AnantkumarH⁩
Wht are ur achievements after becoming a Union Minister or as MP?
Wht are ur contributions for Karnataka’s development?
All I can say for sure,it’s deplorable tht such people have become ministers & have managed to get elected as MP’s. https://t.co/IMtjPSj9aK

— Dinesh Gundu Rao (@dineshgrao) January 27, 2019

Reacting to Rao’s remarks, Hegde directed his vicious attack at the Congress leader and his wife Tabu Rao calling him “a guy who ran behind a Muslim lady”.

I shall definitely answer this guy @dineshgrao‘s queries, before which could he please reveal himself as to who he is along with his achievements?
I only know him as a guy who ran behind a Muslim lady. https://t.co/8hVJ2wQXMU

— Anantkumar Hegde (@AnantkumarH) January 27, 2019

Gundu Rao tweeted back: “Sad to see @AnantkumarH stoop to such low levels as to bring in personal issues. Guess it’s his lack of culture. Guess he hasn’t learnt from our Hindu scriptures. Time hasn’t run out, he can still try and become a more dignified human.”

Ananth Kumar Hegde has always been entangled in controversies for making inappropriate statements on sensitive issues.

Earlier this month, the Union minister had termed the Kerala government’s handling of the Sabarimala row as “daylight rape” of Hindus.

Last year, Hegde called in trouble when he compared the opposition to “crows, monkeys, foxes and others” that had come together to fight the tiger – Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Before that, the minister had referred to Dalit protesters who waylaid his convoy en route to a job fair in Karnataka’s Ballari as “dogs barking on the road”.

In 2017, Hegde sparked off a massive debate after he said that the “BJP government was here to change the Constitution”.

At a function in Karnataka, Hegde had also reportedly said people should identify themselves by their religion and “those who, without knowing about their parental blood, call themselves secular, they don’t have their own identity…They don’t know about their parentage.”