BENGALURU/TUMAKURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and senior Congress leaders on Monday slammed BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) for allegedly inciting people to hoist a saffron flag in Keragodu village in Mandya. Siddaramaiah, talking to reporters, alleged that BJP whipped up the flag-hoisting incident as it fears that it would lose the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.
“BJP created an issue out of a non-issue and propagated communalism. JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy too joined the BJP’s protest for political gains and the entire incident is part of a political conspiracy,” he charged.
Siddaramaiah said people from Keragodu village had given letters of undertaking to the authorities that they would fly either the national flag or Kannada flag, instead hoisted Hanuma Dhwaja, violating the rule of law. “Action will be taken against those who take law into their hands. The police resorted to lathicharge as they were attacked. Should they remain mute spectators,” he asked. On BJP leader CT Ravi’s statement that the Congress government will collapse, Siddarmaiah hit back, saying Congress has the mandate of 136 MLAs and 43% vote share compared to BJP’s 37%.
DCM DK Shivakumar accused BJP of stirring up emotions in Mandya to build a political base in the district and for political gains. “BJP candidates lost their deposit in many constituencies in Mandya and they are trying to find a political base by joining hands with JDS. Their efforts will not pay off as the people of Mandya are tolerant and secular and they won’t fall for gimmicks like this. Our objective is to ensure peace,” he said.
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said BJP and Sangh Parivar, who had made coastal Karnataka a laboratory of communal politics for long, have now started their experiment in Mandya.
He accused Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka of lowering the dignity of the position he holds. He said the Keregodu villagers had sought permission to hoist only the national flag. “If BJP does not like the national flag, country’s Constitution and unity, let them go to their beloved Pakistan,” he added.
