Minister resigns over quake remarks

An estimated 20,000 people are thought to have perished

An Indian minister has resigned after a furore over his remark that the earthquake in Gujarat was a sign of divine retribution.

T John, a junior minister in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, said he was stepping down to avoid controversy.

Injustice was done to our people.... For this God has punished them

Karnataka Minister T John

"Whatever I said yesterday has embarrassed the government. I am resigning to avoid further controversy," he said.

Mr John had told a meeting organised by a Christian group on Tuesday that Gujarat was hit by an earthquake because the state's churches had been destroyed by anti-Christian campaigners.

"Injustice was done to our people.... For this God has punished them," he said.

Outcry

The remarks, which were broadcast on a local television channel, led to an outcry from hardline Hindu groups which demanded he be sacked.

Mr John later said his remarks were unintentional and regrettable.

Gujarat witnessed a spate of attacks on churches and prayers halls which were blamed on hardline Hindu groups.

Protests

It led to protests by the state's Christian community who felt they were being persecuted.

Karnataka is ruled by the Congress party while the Hindu nationalist BJP is in power in Gujarat.

The Karnataka wing of the BJP has demanded that Mr John be expelled from the Congress party for his remarks.

The official death toll in Gujarat is now more than 7,100 with local officials estimating it could rise as high as 20,000.