Vijay's statement exhibits BJP's mindset: Kharge

The Congress party on Friday condemned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tarun Vijay's reported 'racist' comments about South Indians in a video that went viral.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge told ANI, "I condemn such statements. This is the reason we have been maintaining that it is the tendency and philosophy of the BJP leaders that they even discriminate Indians. They even create hurdles in our bilateral relations with those countries with which we want to have cordial relations."

He said that Tarun Vijay's statement is an example of the BJP's mindset of 'being superior'.

Meanwhile, a ray of respite came for Tarun Vijay as some eminent personalities came out in the open to save him.

Talking to ANI in Kochi, Social activist Rahul Easwar termed Tarun Vijay as one of the most vocal supporters of Jallikattu, a popular sport of Tamil Nadu, and went on to the extent of saying that Jallikatu is our birth right.

"What he said was should be seen in the context of people living together. His intention was very much right. May be some people may criticise that his articulation could have been better but he wanted to say that people from all parts of the country should live together. And, India accommodates all religions and races, said Easwar.

He exhorted the people to see Tarun Vijay's intention and not his articulation.

Vijay found himself in the middle of a storm as he tried to defend India after recent attacks on African students in Greater Noida.

He reportedly told news channel Al Jazeera's online show The Stream: "If we were racist, why would we have the entire entire south.Tamil, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra.why do we live with them? We have black people around us," the politician was heard as saying in the video.

Vijay was cornered as the video went viral. People on social media platforms reacted very sharply over his reported remarks about South Indians.