New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) MPs from Kerala demanded on Monday that Union ministers Suresh Gopi and George Kurian be sacked over their "controversial" remarks.

Gopi, the Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, courted controversy on Sunday by saying that the members of the "upper castes" should handle the tribal-affairs portfolio -- words that he retracted later.

Speaking at a poll rally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here, the actor-turned politician said real progress in tribal welfare would only be possible if leaders from "upper castes" oversaw the ministry. He later withdrew his statement, claiming that it was made with good intentions.

Kurian, the minister of state for fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying and minority affairs, said on Saturday that if Kerala wants more central funds, it should declare that it is backward in terms of education, infrastructure and social welfare.

Slamming the two Union ministers who hail from the southern state, Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take note of the comments and initiate action against them.

"The two ministers have made atrocious comments on constitutional morality and principles of the Constitution. One minister says, tribal affairs should be headed by a minister who is from the upper castes, he should be a Brahmin or a Naidu. The second one says that if Kerala needs assistance from the Centre, it should declare itself a backward state. I am sure the prime minister will take note of these statements and take action," the Rajya Sabha MP told PTI in the Parliament complex.

Communist Party of India (CPI) MP P Sandosh Kumar also slammed the two Union ministers over their remarks.

"It is a strange statement by George Kurian. This shows the BJP's mentality. The Union Budget ignored Kerala. We should get our due share. We are going to take up the issue, Kurian should resign taking responsibility," the Rajya Sabha MP told PTI.

"If the Wayanad landslide had happened in any other part of the country, it (BJP) would have announced a package. This is an insult to Kerala," Kumar said, commenting on Kurian's remarks.

On Gopi's statement, he said, "Suresh Gopi is notorious for his caste comments. Being a Union minister, this is a gross violation of the Constitution's morality and principals. The BJP leadership should take serious note of this." "We demand the immediate removal of the two ministers, Suresh Gopi and George Kurian.... Kerala's genuine interests must be protected," Kumar said.

The Congress's Lok Sabha MP from Ernakulam, Hibi Eden, said the remarks are against the tribal and Scheduled Caste (SC) communities.

"This is totally against the tribal and SC communities. The Constitution provides them rights. The only BJP Lok Sabha MP from Kerala says a person from an upper-caste community should become the tribal affairs minister.... It is against morality. There are ministers and lawmakers (from backward communities) who have been part of the system. We condemn this," he said on Gopi's comments.

On Kurian, he said, "The state has been undermined by George Kurian, a state which has done very well in terms of health and education.... This is a very wrong comment by the minister and we condemn it." PTI AO RC