After controversial 'hand' remark, Hegde mocks Dinesh Gundu Rao
Bengaluru, Jan 27: Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde Monday referred to Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao as 'a guy who ran behind a Muslim lady', a day after he courted controversy over his remarks that 'the hand that touches a Hindu girl's body should not be there.'
The minister's barb targeted the Congress leader, whose wife is Tabassum Rao.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has also slammed Hegde for his controversial remarks about the Congress leader's wife, saying he is "unfit" to be a Union minister and deserves to be sacked.
Gundu Rao had taken a potshot at Hegde for his reported comment at an event at Madikeri Sunday that the hand that touches a Hindu girl's body should not be there
He asked the (Hindu) community to be writers of history and not just its readers.
In response, Gundu Rao tweeted, "Wht are ur achievements after becoming a Union Minister or as MP? Wht are ur contributions for Karnataka's development? All I can say for sure,its deplorable tht such people have become ministers & have managed to get elected as MPs."
Hitting back at Rao, Hegde said "I shall definitely answer this guy "@dineshgrao's queries, before which could he please reveal himself as to who he is along with his achievements? I only know him as a guy who ran behind a Muslim lady."
Rao said, Sad to see "@AnantkumarH stoop to such low levels as to bring in personal issues. Guess it's his lack of culture. Guess he hasn't learnt from our Hindu scriptures.
Time hasn't run out, he can still try and become a more dignified human."
Condemning Hegde’s statement at Madikeri, Siddaramaiah Monday told reporters in Mysuru that the electorate has to decide whether Hegde was eligible to be a minister or not.
"Is he (Hegde) eligible to be a minister, who calls upon people to chop of hands and commit murder? Siddaramaiah asked.
Reacting to Hegde's remarks, Karnataka Home Minister M.B. Patil told reporters at Mangaluru that the union minister has the habit of making such speeches to 'incite communal passions.
Patil said Hegde does not deserve to sit in Parliament as he has no regard for Parliament or the Constitution.
"He had earlier even gone to the extent of saying that the Constitution should be changed. All these statements are made to create a communally charged up situation," Patil said.
Patil said Hegde would have to bear the brunt of his controversial statements in the coming Lok Sabha elections as the people would react against him.
The Home Minister was in Mangaluru en route to Puttur to attend a programme.
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Rally against "vote chori" to protect every citizen's right, says D K Shivakumar
New Delhi/ Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar asserted that the Congress party's rally against alleged 'vote chori' (vote theft) in New Delhi is to protect every citizen's right to vote.
Accusing BJP government at the Centre of restricting vehicles with Congress workers from entering Delhi to participate in the party's mega rally, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, said that about 3,500-4,000 party leaders and workers have come from the state to participate in the rally.
Congress is holding a mega rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on Sunday, against the alleged "vote chori" (vote theft).
"We (state Congress) have made accommodation for 1,500 people (party workers and leaders), more than 2,000 people have made their own arrangements. They have come by flight and train. About 3,500-4,000 people have come. About 1.42 crore signatures have been gathered from the state (as part of its signature campaign)," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, he said, there is a lot of enthusiasm among party workers and leaders, and they are committed to saving the Congress party in the state and the country, and protecting the citizens' right to vote.
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"As per the information that I have received this morning, the BJP and the central government are stopping vehicles (with Congress workers) from coming to Delhi, they are apparently not allowing vehicles to enter the city. I don't know why they are doing this. I don't know why the BJP and the central government are so worried. But no one can stop our voice," he added.
Further stating that Congress is fighting on behalf of the people of the country to protect their right to vote, the Deputy CM said, there is no politics in it. He said, all the leaders will be leaving for the protest venue from the Congress office in Delhi.
Reacting to a question on Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly terming Congress party's rally as an "act of frustration" due to electoral losses, and similar criticism from other BJP leaders, he said, he doesn't want to react to anyone from the saffron party.
"Let them say anything for their enjoyment. We, the Congressmen, won't think about electoral victories and losses. We think about the sacrifice made by our elders during the freedom struggle, to give democracy and a constitution to the country. Sonia Gandhi sacrificed power (PM post) and gave it to an economist like Manmohan Singh. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for this country," he said.
Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi went to jail for the sake of this country, he further pointed out, adding that, "A hundred years ago, Gandhi took over the leadership of the freedom struggle; today in these difficult times, Mallikarjun Kharge has taken the responsibility as the Congress President."
Shivakumar, responding to a question, said, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will also be attending the rally. "Both of us will go together (to the venue) from the Indira Gandhi Bhavan (in Delhi)."
He, however, did not wish to comment on any meeting with the Congress high command, including Soina Gandhi, on the issue of leadership change in Karnataka. Meanwhile, slogans calling Shivakumar the "next CM" were raised by his supporters as the Deputy CM left the Karnataka Bhavan.
