HASSAN/CHIKKAMAGALURU (K’TAKA), Feb 21: BJP National President J P Nadda on Tuesday attacked the Congress, accusing it of ‘appeasement’ and ‘divisive politics’, and urged the people to support the saffron party to have “double engine government” in Karnataka once again, for the development of the state.
Targeting former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and the earlier Congress Government led by him, Nadda accused them of withdrawing cases against Popular Front of India (PFI) and Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) activists, by following their practice of appeasement politics.
“When Congress comes, there is scatter in the society, when Congress comes there is divide and rule, it is the basic trait of Congress’ politics. When Congress comes there is vote bank politics, as part of which they indulge in appealing to a particular religion or a community, Nadda said.
Addressing a public meeting in Beluru, he alleged that whenever the Congress comes to power corruption comes along with it.
“If there is someone who fights corruption, it is BJP and Basavaraj Bommai (Chief Minister), who left no stone unturned in restoring Lokayukta in the state, and if there is someone who encourages corruption, it will be Siddaramaiah (Congress leader and former CM), who rooted out Lokayukta institution from the state,” he added.
Further alleging that Congress’ other name is “corruption, commission”, the BJP President charged Siddaramaiah with “appeasement”, and disturbing law and order situation.
“PFI is a banned organisation, they had created fear in the society, and Siddarmaaiah, during his tenure as the CM withdrew 175 cases against PFI and KFD, and their 1,600 activists were released from jail. They wanted to create fear in the society, divide the society, disturb law and order…Will you (public) support such people? Do you want such a government?” he asked.
“If you don’t want such a government, in the days to come (election), support Basavaraj Bommai, BJP, and make your contribution for strengthening the double engine government in Karnataka, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Bommai, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, national general secretaries C T Ravi and Arun Singh, and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje were among others present at the event.
Highlighting various programmes and initiatives of the central and state government for farmers, women, children, youth, labourers, Nadda lauded the state budget presented by Bommai recently.
Welfare of Karnataka, its people, all sections including SC/STs has been ensured by the BJP Government in the State, he said, as he referred to reservation hike for SC/STs in the state.
He later visited Sri Chennakesava Temple in Beluru, which is known for its architecture and sculptures, along with the Chief Minister.
Earlier in the day, addressing a gathering of intellectuals and professionals in Chikkamagaluru, Nadda asserted that his party always stands for righteousness, while claiming that Congress is always doing something “mischievous” against the society.
“We (BJP) have tried to see to it that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there is a responsible government, a government which acts, a government which takes decisions, and a government which delivers,” he said.
He expressed happiness that in Karnataka too the budget presented by Bommai focuses on women empowerment, encouragement to youth, strengthening of farmers and empowerment of labourers, and development of basic infrastructure.
“Ours is the party which is ideology based. We are consistent in our ideology, we are a cadre-based party, and our party has got a mass following,” he said, adding that the Congress believes in corruption, commission, division, divide and rule, vote bank and dynastic politics and they were the traits of that party.
Alleging that Praveen Nettaru (a young BJP worker) was killed by PFI killer squad, Nadda said, the contribution of Siddaramaiah to Karnataka is that he withdrew cases against PFI and KFD and released its activists.
Further questioning Siddaramaiah and Congress for speaking about corruption, the BJP chief asked, “Who removed or stopped the institution of Lokayukta?”
“You will always find BJP is for righteousness, and the Congress party is always doing something mischievous against the society,” he said, requesting the public to support his party.
The BJP president earlier in the day also visited Sringeri mutt established by Adi Shankaracharya and met Vidhushekhara Bharati, the junior pontiff of the historic and prestigious seminary.
Later in the evening, addressing the District Booth Committee Convention in Hassan, Nadda urged the people to support BJP in the upcoming assembly election and ensure that the party wins all the seven constituencies in the district.
“We should get 100 per cent result in Hassan, full seven seats, not one seat, all seven seats. Tell me, will you give us seven seats?…,” he said.
Hassan is a JD(S) bastion and the home turf of its patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda. Six of the seven assembly segments in the district are represented by the JD(S). However, BJP had made inroads by winning the Hassan seat in 2018 assembly polls.
Crediting PM Modi for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic with strong policy decisions and successful vaccination drive, Nadda highlighted the India’s growth as an economic power by overtaking Britain as the fifth largest economy, its leading position in mobile and automobile manufacturing, and becoming the pharmacy of the world.
Noting that India is third in power consumption and sixth in consumption of renewable power, he said, “During the Siddaramaiah or Congress regimes there used to be power cuts, but today there is 24 hours power supply, so you had cut their Congress’ power…We have ensured that there is no power cut, in the same way you too ensure that there is no ‘power cut’ for the BJP. It is your responsibility.” (PTI)
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