Coimbatore: Vishwa Hindu Parishad has demanded the resignation of Tamil Nadu assembly speaker M Appavu for his speech praising Christian missionaries for their contribution to the development of Tamil Nadu.

VHP passed a resolution condemning Appavu and calling for his resignation at its state executive committee (South TN) meeting held in Pollachi on Sunday. The resolution said that it was wrong on the part of the speaker, who is supposed to be neutral, to speak in support of one religion.

The speech by Appavu was made more than a month ago when he participated in the centenary celebrations of St Paul seminary in Trichy. The video of the speech, where Appavu lavishly praised missionaries, had surfaced online recently and has sparked a controversy.

“He was elected by voters of all religions. So he should be stripped off the MLA post as well,’’ the resolution said. VHP also condemned the DMK for its `anti – Hindu’ acts.

The meeting chaired by VHP’s national joint general secretary Sthanumalayanji and all india joint secretary P M Nagarajan had functionaries from 17 districts of TN participate.

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