Watch: Nawab Malik's reply to Hindu religious leader who 'abused, insulted' Mahatma Gandhi

Nawab Malik. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik addressed the media from Vidhav Bhawan on Monday and demanded sedition charges on Kalicharan Maharaj for "abusing and insulting Mahatma Gandhi." He said, "This is not just the insult of Mahatma Gandhi but the country."

He said, "Incidents like these cannot be tolerated," before adding that he will "speak to the home minister so an inquiry can be initiated on the "farzi sadhu." We will also mull the possibility of a sedition charge on him in Maharashtra."

He added that "ever since BJP has come to power people have started glorifying Godse and abusing Mahatma Gandhi."

During the event in Chattisgarh in Madhya Pradesh, Kalicharan had said, "The target of Islam is to capture nation through politics. In front of our eyes they had captured in 1947 (referring to partition)...They had earlier captured Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. They captured Bangladesh and Pakistan through politics...I salute Nathuram Godse that he killed Gandhi."

Chhattisgarh Police have registered an FIR against him on the charge of promoting enmity between classes after he used derogatory words against Mahatma Gandhi and hailed his assassin Nathuram Godse, an official said on Monday.