Published Aug 31, 2026 | 7:23 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 31, 2026 | 7:23 PM
Rayareddi made the original remarks while speaking at a mass wedding event organised by the Muslim community in Kuknoor in Koppal district on Sunday.
Synopsis: Karnataka Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddi on Monday defended his remarks describing Islam as “shreshta dharma [great religion] than other dharmas”, saying praise for one faith did not mean belittling others. BJP leaders R Ashoka and CT Ravi accused the minister of insulting Sanatana Dharma, demanded an apology and accused the ruling Congress of “cheap vote-bank politics”.
A day after Karnataka Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddi invited controversy by referring to Islam as a “shreshta dharma [great religion] than other dharmas,” the Congress leader on Monday, 31 August doubled down, saying that highlighting the positive aspects of one religion did not amount to belittling other faiths.
“What is wrong in that? I said superior thoughts are in Islam. I didn’t say other religions are less superior. In Islam there are superior qualities, but I have not said other religions are bad. All religions are superior only,” Rayareddi told reporters.
Speaking to TV9 Kannada, he added:
“I am not going to convert to any religion. I will not convert to Islam, and I will not convert to Christianity. Do you understand? I will not convert to any religion. Because what I said was that I follow all religions.”
In his original remarks, made while speaking at a mass wedding event organised by the Muslim community in Kuknoor in Koppal district on Sunday, Rayareddi said he was interested in studying Abrahamic religions and had thought about visiting Mecca, one of the three holiest sites in Islam.
“Some people keep spreading misconceptions about Islam. I would like to say that Islam is a superior religion compared to all the other religions that exist. I have been very deeply interested in studying Abrahamic religions. I don’t regularly go to temples or mutts. But I want to study religions, and I want to study different histories. That is why, with happiness, I’m saying this,” he said.
“I have been thinking a lot about going to Mecca, but I am not able to go. There’s something called a Haram. You should convert to Islam. There’s a border that I cannot cross [Hudud al-Haram]. If you are a Muslim, you can go. These are the practices and traditions of the respective religions. That is why I have visited various places. I have been to Jerusalem. I go to all these places as part of my study.”
Rayareddi said that whenever he travelled abroad, he didn’t “just go somewhere randomly, but to study and learn”.
“Because I have learned about all these things, I am able to speak a little about them here today,” he added.
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, on the morning of Monday, 31 August, accused Rayareddi of insulting “Sanatana Dharma” and demanded that he withdraw his statement and apologise.
“Congress’s Anti-Hindu Mindset Reaches a New Low in Karnataka! Is there any boundary left for the Congress party when it comes to insulting Sanatana Dharma to satisfy its vote-bank politics? Karnataka Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy has openly disparaged the Hindu faith by declaring Islam to be “superior to other religions” and publicly boasting about avoiding Hindu mutts and temples,” he wrote in post on X.
The BJP leader accused the Congress leadership of practising appeasement politics and claimed that Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s visits to temples were mere show.
“Rahul Gandhi, constitutional oaths bind ministers to uphold equality and treat all faiths with equal respect – not to rank religions or declare one superior to another. Let’s be very clear, this is not an isolated slip of the tongue. It is a direct reflection of the pseudo-secular ideology preached by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress High Command, where belittling the Hindu faith is rewarded and appeasement politics is institutionalized,” he wrote.
“CM DK Shivakumar avare, your camera-centric “temple runs” are nothing but shameless PR stunts to hoodwink Hindus. By turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to your Cabinet Minister’s direct insult to Sanatana Dharma, you now stand completely exposed before the people of Karnataka.”
Ashoka demanded that Rayareddi withdraw his statement and tender an unconditional apology to Hindus. He said Shivakumar should sack the minister if he refused.
“If Congress has even an ounce of respect for the millions of believers across the state, you must prove it with action, not empty rhetoric. The nation is watching the true face of Congress’s “Sarva Dharma Sambhava” and Rahul Gandhi’s so-called “Mohabbat Ki Dukaan.” BJP Karnataka will not allow the dignity of Sanatana Dharma to be compromised for cheap vote-bank politics!” he added.
BJP MLC CT Ravi, speaking to South First, said Rayareddi had no moral standing to ask Hindus to vote for him.
“According to him, Islam is a superior religion. Then why should he ask Hindus for votes? Did only Muslims vote for Basavaraj Rayareddi? If he openly tells voters that one religion is better than the others, he will not get elected,” Ravi said.
“I have asked Kharge and Shivakumar what the Congress high command’s opinion is about Hindu religion and dharma. They have not replied to me yet.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
