War of words between BJP and Karnataka minister over Urdu advertisement
Bengaluru (PTI): The ruling Congress and the opposition BJP on Wednesday engaged in a war of words over an Urdu advertisement published in an Urdu daily regarding a Health Department programme.
The Karnataka government today launched the "Kusuma Sanjeevini" programme of "prophylactic treatment" for haemophilia patients and free ambulance services.
Advertisements for the event were published in various publications, including some Urdu dailies published from Karnataka.
The advertisement in Urdu dailies were in Urdu language, which has become a bone of contention.
The BJP accused the Congress government of neglecting Kannada and indulging in appeasement politics by allegedly issuing an official invitation in Urdu, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao hit back, stating that it was only a newspaper advertisement meant to reach Urdu readers.
"For the sake of appeasement politics, the anti-Kannada, anti-State Congress government is even neglecting Kannada!" the BJP said in a post on 'X', substantiating its charge that the invitation for launching preventive treatment and ambulance services had been published entirely in Urdu.
The BJP further questioned the government, stating, "CM Siddaramaiah, DCM D K Shivakumar - is the administrative language of Karnataka Kannada or Urdu?" It also targeted the health minister, asking, "Who gave you the authority to issue an official government invitation in Urdu just because you speak Urdu at home?"
The party told Rao, "Speak Urdu in your home if you wish, but remember that Kannada is the administrative language of Karnataka."
The 'speak Urdu' jibe was apparently aimed at Rao's wife Tabassum who is a Muslim and is often targeted by the BJP leaders for her faith.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Mangaluru, the CM said when the BJP was in power, they did nothing. When they are in the Opposition, they have made it a habit to protest.
"When giving advertisements, shouldn't we give them to Urdu newspapers as well?" Siddaramaiah sought to know.
Responding sharply to the charges, Rao accused the BJP of misleading the public.
"Have BJP leaders become so intellectually bankrupt that they cannot distinguish between an official invitation and a newspaper advertisement? Or are they determined to mislead the public at any cost?" he posted on 'X.'
He defended the department's action, stating, "There was no official invitation issued in Urdu here. Publishing advertisements in the language of a particular newspaper to ensure information reaches its readers is a routine administrative practice."
The minister also countered the BJP by referring to past governments.
"When B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai were in power, were advertisements not published in Urdu newspapers? By your own logic, does that mean all BJP leaders who issued advertisements in Urdu back then were 'anti-national'," he asked.
Extending a conciliatory note amid the political sparring, he said, "Since you are showing such excessive curiosity about the language spoken in our homes, I extend a cordial invitation - please visit our home. We would be happy to host you."
The minister also shared a series of advertisements in Urdu published by the BJP when it was in power in the state.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
_vb_77.jpeg)
_vb_00.jpeg)
