Mumbai (Maharashtra): Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Monday took a swipe at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur over her recent “sharpen the knives” in “self-defence” statement saying “virtuous people never speak about violence” and “use hate speech”.

Kumar while addressing a gathering on the occasion of Congress’ 138th Foundation Day in Mumbai said, “People who are actually virtuous never speak about violence. They never use hate language instead they speak only to unite people not to divide them. But Sadhvi Pragya is completely doing the opposite, she is asking people to keep ‘sharpened knives’ at home. Which type of sadhvi is she, I don’t understand.”

Addressing Hindu Jagarana Vedike’s South Region annual convention in Karnataka’s Shivamogga on Sunday, Pragya Thakur said that a knife used for chopping vegetables can also cut the “heads of the enemies”.

Kumar said that Thakur was trying to mock Union Home Minister Amit Shah whose duty is to ensure the security of the nation by talking about violence.

“She talked about violence and I feel that there is some planning involved in this statement. The sadhvi was trying to mock the Home Minister of the country because it is the duty of the HM to ensure security in a country. So I think sadhvi was trying to say that the home minister is useless so we all need to sharpen our knives,” said Kumar.

“I would like to ask all the police personnel standing here that it is our duty to sharpen the knife. What the security forces will do, or the law will do if we will do the work of sharpening the knife? Why have we appointed the Home Minister, only to make his son the BCCI head,” questioned Kumar.

He applauded the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra and said that Rahul Gandhi is out to save the nation’s foundation, and brotherhood.

#WATCH | “Keep your daughters safe and protected. Keep weapons at home. Sharpen the knife used to cut vegetables. If our vegetables are cut well, heads and mouths of our enemies will also be cut well,” says BJP MP Pragya Thakur in Shivamogga, Karnataka pic.twitter.com/LRURt8wPKq

— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2022

Sadhvi Pragya triggered a controversy on Tuesday after the leader said “Keep your daughters safe and protected. Keep weapons at home. Sharpen the knife used to cut vegetables. If our vegetables are cut well, heads and mouths of our enemies will also be cut well,” while addressing a gathering in Shivamogga, Karnataka.

Karnataka Congress MLA Priyank Kharge slammed her for her remark and warned of legal action against Pragya Thakur.

“It is unfortunate that an MP is making such statements. She is already a terror accused. I don’t know why Karnataka is encouraging such an atmosphere. We will file a legal complaint against it,” the leader said.