Bhubaneswar: Both the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress legislators in Odisha today demanded an unconditional apology from Nilgiri BJP MLA Santosh Khatua after he remarked in the State Assembly that “your Gandhi” was responsible for the division of the country, while gesturing towards the Opposition benches.

The comment sparked immediate outrage, prompting legislators of both BJD and the Congress to stage a walkout. The MLAs later held a silent protest near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the premises of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

Terming the remarks unacceptable, BJD Vice President Debi Mishra said the statement amounted to disrespecting the Father of the Nation.

“Issuing such statements while disrespecting Mahatma Gandhi is not tolerable. The BJD strongly condemns such remarks,” Mishra said. He added either Khatua or the BJP must apologise for the comment.

Reacting to the controversy, Khatua said, “I have not used any disrespectful words against Mahatma Gandhi. The Opposition has no real issues, so they are making a mountain out of a molehill. They are in the Opposition, and it is their job to level allegations. The accusations against me are untrue and baseless.”