New Delhi: Karnataka BJP MLA Arvind Bellad strirred a controversy on Friday after he said that the space that would be occupied by the body of Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagouda, who was killed in Ukraine, could be utilised to evacuate 10 to 12 stranded people from the war-ravaged country.
The remarks by the Hubballi Dharwad West MLA drew condemnation from the Conress, which said "cruelty" was in BJP's DNA.
Naveen, a native of Chalageri in Karnataka's Haveri district, was killed in shelling in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv when he ventured out to buy food for himself and fellow students.
Arvind Bellad made the remarks while underlining that the Centre as well as the Karnataka government were making every effort to bring the body of Naveen from Kharkiv in Ukraine.
The BJP MLA said the place where the body was kept is a war zone and it was difficult to bring it back to India under current circumstances.
"It is a war zone. You all are showing the ground situation on television through your channels. Body will be brought once the flight services become operational," PTI quoted Bellad as saying.
"In a situation when bringing the living people is proving to be difficult, it will be even more difficult to bring the body because it occupies more space. In place of it, 10 to 12 people can be brought," the BJP MLA said.
READ | Student From Karnataka Killed In Shelling In Ukraine's Kharkiv
Bellad also said that students move abroad to chase their dream of getting a medical degree because of hefty fees in India.
The BJP MLA's comments drew sharp response from opposition Congress.
"Drunk with arrogance, power has gone into the head of heartless BJP leaders, particularly from Karnataka. (Union minister) Pralhad Joshi calls children in Ukraine as those 'who failed NEET'. Arvind Bellad has lost his balance. Insensitivity and cruelty are now BJP's DNA," Randeep Surejwala, Congress chief spokesperson, said in a tweet.
He also said that "one thing is clear... in the Ukraine-Russian war, there is no plan to rescue the thousands of children who have been fighting for their life for the last nine days amid heavy bombing and missile attacks".
"Is all the focus from Ukraine to Uttar Pradesh (where assembly polls are being held) only on managing PR and saving image," Surejwala asked in another tweet in Hindi.