AHINDA communities warn Congress against unseating Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Nov 27 (PTI): The Karnataka State Federation of Backward Class Communities (KSFBCC) has warned Congress that any attempt to unseat Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the wake of infighting in the state Congress will have a bearing on the party.
A power tussle is going on between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, who is aspiring to become the next Chief Minister.
Addressing reporters here, KSFBCC president K M Ramachandrappa said AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities backward classes and Dalits communities) is deeply pained to see the development taking place.
He recalled the statement of Karnataka Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha president L Srinivas who had said in a press conference on Thursday that the Congress high command should consider giving ‘coolie’ (token of reward) for the work Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has done by toiling hard to bring the party to power.
ALSO READ: Vokkaliga Sangha says it will fight if injustice happens to Shivakumar
Ramachandrappa said Shivakumar has already got ‘Coolie’ for the work he did in the form of position as the Deputy Chief Minister.
He said even religious heads are also participating in this discussion and are threatening that they will also be part of the chorus seeking removal of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
"These threats are not new ones but have been happening for very long time. Since the independence it has been happening. We the downtrodden community will not bow down to these threats," KSFBCC president said.
Due to these developments, Ahinda is deeply pained, he said.
Expressing his fear, he said, "Those against the caste census can unseat the chief minister, we can only assume how they will behave with our communities".
ALSO READ: No confusion in Cong, party is united, says Shivakumar amid power tussle
He added that they are witnessing the way AHINDA communities are being treated and are getting representation in the government and society.
He said, "If this development continues further, then we warn that it will be problematic for Congress in the coming days. AHINDA category will not sit idly.”
“If the pontiffs and the Vokkaliga Sangha is ready to stage agitation then we will also not leave our leader. The 70 per cent population of AHINDA communities had offered support to this government. We will not tolerate attempts to bring down a leader from the AHINDA community,” Ramachandrappa said.
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RSS man's defamation case against Rahul: Key witness unavailable, hearing adjourned to Dec 20
Thane (PTI): A court in Bhiwandi in Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing in the criminal defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker to December 20 due to non-availability of a crucial prosecution witness.
Advocate Narayan Iyer, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, confirmed the adjournment, stating that the witness, Ashok Saykar, currently Deputy Superintendent of Police in Barshi in Solapur, could not remain present due to personal reasons.
Saykar's evidence is now likely to be recorded on December 29.
His testimony is considered key because he, as police sub inspector in 2014, conducted the preliminary inquiry into the private defamation matter under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
It was on the basis of Saykar's submitted report that the court subsequently issued process (summons) against Rahul Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The criminal defamation case was filed by local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte following a speech given by Rahul Gandhi at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014.
The case stems from the Congress leader's alleged statement that "the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi."
The matter is being heard by Bhiwandi Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, P M Kolse.
The hearing had previously been adjourned on November 15 after the complainant's counsel, Advocate Prabodh Jaywant, moved an application seeking permission to examine Saykar, who had submitted the probe report to the court.
The matter was originally scheduled for November 29 but was deferred to December 6 after Rahul Gandhi's legal team sought an adjournment citing their non-availability. The proceedings will now resume on December 20.
