Maharashtra Minorities Affairs Minister Naseem Khan today demanded that the state government file a case against VHP leader Praveen Togadia for his alleged "hate speech".

"I have spoken to the state Home Minister R R Patil today. He has ordered an inquiry (into Togadia's remarks)," Khan told PTI.

"I have requested the state govt to register case against Togadia," he said.

"If (Akbaruddin) Owaisi is behind bars for his hate speech, why not Togadia?" the minister said.

The VHP leader had triggered a controversy by making a controversial speech on February 1 near Adilabad in Andhra Pradesh.

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh had yesterday demanded the Centre and the Maharashtra government book Togadia on the lines of MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, who had also allegedly delivered a hate speech sometimes back in Hyderabad.