Tory MP hosts an anti-Islam extremist at Commons event

Tapan Ghosh was the keynote speaker at an event called "Tolerating the intolerant"

Mr Blackman is a member of the Communities and Local Government Committee (Jon Stone for The Independent)

A Tory MP has hosted in parliament an anti-Islamic extremist who has praised the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Burma.

Bob Blackman, a Conservative backbencher who sits on the communities and local government committee, hosted Tapan Ghosh, who is an Indian Hindu-nationalist at a Commons event called “Tolerating the Intolerant.”

Mr Ghosh has previously called for the UN to control the birth rate of Muslims. He has also claimed to have created a “HIndu Defence Force” in India to protect Hindus from supposed Muslim violence.

Mr Ghosh was the keynote speaker at the meeting, held last week. He said: “Your girls and daughters are threatened by grooming but in our country our land is threatened and our existence is threatened.”

Home Secretary Amber Rudd and de facto Deputy Prime Minister Damian Green also attended the event, but the Home Secretary has since distanced herself from Mr Ghosh. The Home Office said in a statement.

“The Home Secretary fundamentally disagrees with Mr Ghosh’s views on Islam.

“The Home Secretary accepted an invitation from the Hindu Forum of Britain to attend an event in Parliament last week to celebrate Diwali. She did not speak to Mr Ghosh and was not present when he spoke.”

Asked about his decision to invite Mr Ghosh,, Mr Blackman told The Times: Mr Blackman said: “In our commitment as a nation to fight extremism and radicalisation it is important to hear the voices of suppressed minorities.”