“When you were in power, whom did you please with Urdu ads?” Siddaramaiah questions BSY, Bommai
Row erupts after BJP accuses Congress over Urdu advertisement
Bengaluru: A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the Congress government of neglecting Kannada and indulging in appeasement politics by allegedly issuing an official invitation for the launch of the Kusuma Sanjeevini programme and free ambulance services in Urdu, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP, questioning why advertisements were issued in Urdu during its tenure and whom they were meant to please.
Launching a scathing attack on the saffron party, the Chief Minister said, “We are not in such a poor position that we need to take lessons from BJP leaders on concern for land, water, and language. When it comes to protecting the interests of Kannada and Kannadigas, I have put politics aside and stood on the front line of the struggle. History bears witness to this. I entered political life as the president of the Kannada Kavalu Samiti. For me, Kannada is not just a language, it is life. Jai Karnataka, Jai Kannada.”
In a post on X on Thursday, Siddaramaiah said he had “listened to the brave words spoken by opposition leaders against a government advertisement published in Urdu in an Urdu newspaper.” Calling it the height of hypocrisy, he said the BJP had itself issued Urdu advertisements while in power and was now turning against the Congress government.
Addressing former chief ministers B. S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, Siddaramaiah asked, “When you were in power, whom did you give advertisements in Urdu to please? Answer this honestly.”
He also shared photographs of government advertisements published in Urdu newspapers during the tenure of Yediyurappa and Bommai.
Explaining why government advertisements were published in Urdu, the Chief Minister said the objective was to communicate information about government programmes and schemes to people.
“It has been the practice since the past to publish advertisements in the language of the respective newspapers so that they reach more people. This helps readers understand the content clearly and ensures that the purpose of the advertisement is fulfilled,” he said.
Siddaramaiah further accused BJP leaders of hypocrisy, stating that they had issued Urdu advertisements not once or twice but dozens of times when they were in power. “At that time, they did not feel any discomfort. Now, the moment they see an Urdu advertisement issued by our government, their sudden love for Kannada has surfaced. This hypocrisy is embarrassing even to a gosling,” he said.
On Wednesday, the Karnataka government launched the Kusuma Sanjeevini programme, which provides prophylactic treatment for haemophilia patients, along with free ambulance services. Advertisements related to the programme were published in several newspapers, including Urdu dailies published from Karnataka.
The advertisements in Urdu newspapers were printed in the Urdu language, which subsequently became a bone of contention, triggering a political row between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
