New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: A day after Union Minister George Kurian’s remark on Union Budget allocation for Kerala triggered backlash, another BJP leader from the state and Minister of State Suresh Gopi on Sunday courted a controversy by stating that the members of the "upper castes" should handle the tribal affairs portfolio. 

Speaking at a BJP election campaign meeting in New Delhi, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said that real progress in tribal welfare would only be possible if leaders from "upper castes" oversaw the Ministry.

"It's a curse of our country that only a person from the tribal community can be made the minister for tribal affairs," said Gopi, who also holds the Tourism portfolio.

"It is my dream and expectation that someone from outside the tribal community should be appointed for their welfare. Let a Brahmin or a Naidu take charge—there would be significant change. Likewise, tribal leaders should be given the portfolio for the welfare of forward communities."

"Such a shift should happen within our democratic system," the actor-politician further stated.

Expressing his desire to handle the Tribal Affairs portfolio, the Thrissur MP said he had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allocate the Ministry to him. "However, there are certain precedents in portfolio allocations," he added.

Gopi's remarks triggered widespread criticism across Kerala.

CPI state secretary Benoy Viswam lashed out at Gopi, calling him a "piper of the chaturvarna" (caste system), and demanded his removal from the Union Ministry. He also urged the resignation of Union Minister of State George Kurian, accusing him of disregarding federal principles and insulting Kerala.

Kurian on Saturday said that the state should declare itself backward in education, infrastructure and social welfare to receive more funds from the Centre.

"These two Ministers are living examples of the challenges facing the Indian Constitution under the RSS-led BJP regime," Viswam said, urging the President— the custodian of the Constitution— to take the matter seriously.

He also demanded that the BJP should clarify its stance on these two Ministers' statements, which he termed anti-tribal and anti-Kerala.

Kurian's remarks were denounced by CPM state secretary M V Govindan as well, who said, "The Centre wants Kerala to be backward, but that will not happen. The central government should help Kerala develop further instead of asking it to go backwards. So, George Kurian’s help is for Kerala to go backwards."

Meanwhile, prominent tribal leader C K Janu also strongly condemned Gopi's remarks, calling them "low-class" and evidence of his lack of understanding.

Currently, BJP leader Jual Oram, a prominent tribal face from Odisha, handles the Tribal Affairs portfolio in the Modi-led Cabinet.

With PTI inputs