Union minister Katheria says he did not target any community

Union minister Ram Shankar Katheria on Tuesday said that he did not target any community in his speech in Agra in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.

"I did not take the name of any community. I said the culprits, who murdered a VHP leader, should be given death sentence. I also said that the Hindu community should unite for their safety," the minister of state in the human resource development ministry told reporters here.

"What has been published in one newspaper is false. I will send a (legal) notice to the newspaper," Katheria said while referring to a news story published in an English daily.

"This is a conspiracy hatched against the Hindu community; we have to be be alert to recognise it and strengthen ourselves. We will have to fight it because if we do not do it now... today we have lost one Arun, tomorrow it could be another Arun... the killers should also go, we have to set such an example," Katheria claimed to have said in his speech.

Katheria and Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Fatehpur Sikri Babu Lal had attended a condolence meeting held for local Vishwa HIndu Parishad (VHP) leader Arun Mahaur, who was killed by some youths allegedly belonging to another community in Agra on Thursday.