Karnataka: R. Ashok slams Congress over Belagavi convention
Bengaluru: Karnataka Opposition Leader R. Ashok launched a scathing attack on the Congress, alleging that the recent convention held in Belagavi was a "memorial fair" marred by corruption rather than a genuine political gathering.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Ashok accused the Congress of collecting a "60% commission" in the name of the event. "The convention was organized under Mahatma Gandhi’s name, but if the Congress truly respected him, they should have named their party headquarters after him or Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel," he said.
Criticizing Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Ashok stated that they did not participate in the freedom struggle and lacked the moral standing to invoke Mahatma Gandhi’s name.
He further attacked the Congress government over the state’s law and order situation, claiming that the convention was held while serious crimes, including a bank robbery, a cow mutilation case, and a rape incident, were being ignored. "If you ask about development, how is the Congress any different from the BJP's tenure? Even Congress MLAs themselves admit that they haven't received funds," he alleged.
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Ashok also mocked the event’s extravagance. "They said the event should reflect Gandhi’s simplicity, but all we saw were massive cutouts. This was nothing but a 'fake Gandhis' conference," he remarked.
Ashok objected to a Congress leader allegedly comparing Kittur Rani Chennamma to Priyanka Vadra, calling it an "inexcusable" insult to the brave warrior queen of Karnataka. He demanded an immediate apology from AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge. "This is an insult to Chennamma, and Congress must apologize to the people," he insisted.
On BJP’s internal affairs, Ashok stated that a party organizational meeting was held to discuss the selection of taluk-level office bearers. He added that Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan would soon arrive in Karnataka to discuss the selection of the state BJP president. "None of us will decide on the new president. Senior leaders will make that decision, and Shivraj Singh Chouhan will consult them before making an announcement," he clarified.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
