Togadia ends 'indefinite fast' on health grounds
Gandhinagar, April 19: Citing health reasons, former VHP leader Pravin Togadia on Thursday called off his "indefinite fast" and said he will now travel across the country to build pressure vis-a-vis his demands, including building a grand Ram Temple at Ayodhya.
Togadia had begun his fast here on Tuesday in support of the Ram Temple and other issues.
Togadia, a diabetic, said there was deterioration in his health and hence he was calling off his hunger strike.
"I am calling off my fast at the insistence of 'sants' who called on me. They have also asked me to resolve to work for the welfare of Hindus."
The former Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader lost three kg in weight. Doctors present at the fast venue feared that his kidneys could be affected due to fasting and require hospitalisation.
Togadia was demanding that Parliament pass a law to facilitate the construction of a grand Ram Temple at the site of the former Babri Masjid in Uttar Pradesh.
He said he will also campaign for an end to debt of farmers, employment for youths and women welfare.
"I will begin to travel across the country from this weekend," he said, adding he also wanted a ban on cow slaughter, revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution and resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits who displaced in the Valley.
Taking a jibe at the Modi government, Togadia said: "Those elected in 2014 have performed worst than those who ruled before 2014. I will work to build an alternative that works to meet the aspirations of the people."
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi "should, instead of travelling abroad, visit the homes of people" in the country.
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.
Karnataka leadership row intensifies with minister's 'dog' remark
Bengaluru (PTI): The simmering leadership row in Karnataka took a sharp turn on Tuesday after Minister H C Mahadevappa made remarks invoking a High Court observation on stray dogs, drawing reactions from senior Congress leaders and the Opposition.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Monday, Mahadevappa, considered close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in cryptic remarks said, "Where is the discussion on leadership issue? The High Court says time and again to catch stray dogs and confine them. Here the political leadership is strong."
When asked to clarify whom he was referring to with the dog metaphor, the social welfare minister said he was only citing the High Court order.
"I was only referring to what the High Court had said. I do not know how you people perceive it," he added.
Mahadevappa's remarks come amid the ongoing speculation over the leadership tussle between Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar. The minister also dismissed talk of any change at the top.
On the issue of leadership change, Mahadevappa said, "Who can give direction to the party high command? Can you and me direct it? It's they who can give us direction and not the other way round. What if tail wags the dog?"
Meanwhile, Shivakumar said he would not comment on Mahadevappa's remarks.
"I am not ready to react to Mahadevappa's statement. Not just him, but anybody. I had said this before as well. Siddaramaiah and our Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge have also spoken on our leadership issue," Shivakumar, who is also state Congress president, told reporters on Tuesday.
He added, "It is a decision taken by me, Siddaramaiah and the party high command. Time will answer what the decision was. There is nothing hidden in this dealing. Siddaramaiah himself will answer the people when the time comes."
Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh said he was unaware of the context of Mahadevappa's remark.
"I don't have the information whom Mahadevappa referred to as dogs," the former Lok Sabha member told reporters.
However, he added, "devout Congress leaders are not stray canines but honest dogs. They never ditch those who favoured them. They clear the debts of their master."
Congress MLC B K Hariprasad likened Shivakumar to a railway engine.
"Shivakumar is like the engine taking along the entire train but when it reaches a destination, he makes lots of noise and rouses vendors over there," he said while addressing mediapersons.
Meanwhile, taking a swipe at Mahadevappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said, "the statement construes that all the leaders in Congress are dogs."
"Congress leaders like dogs very much. Mahadevappa has subtly explained whether the dog is wagging its tail or tail is wagging the dog."
