BJP's Lingayat leaders raise 'Lingayat CM' pitch to counter Congress narrative
Bengaluru(PTI): Lingayat leaders of the BJP have raised the pitch for unleashing the "Lingayat CM" campaign in poll-bound Karnataka to counter the Congress' narrative to brand the ruling party as "anti-Lingayat".
The politically influential Lingayat community forms about 17 per cent of the State's population, mostly in northern parts of the State which the BJP counts as its strong vote-base.
Senior Lingayat leaders Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi quit the BJP over denial of ticket to contest in the May 10 Assembly elections and joined the Congress.
The ruling party has been on a damage control mode since then with the Congress accusing it of doing "injustice" to Lingayats and being "anti-Lingayat".
Lingayat leaders from the BJP met at the residence of Karnataka BJP strongman and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday evening, where there were suggestions for countering the Congress narrative by projecting that the next CM would be from the community in the event of the party coming to power.
On Thursday, responding to questions from reporters, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai confirmed that the meeting decided to strongly counter the "misinformation" being spread by the Congress on "some issues."
"There were some suggestions (on 'Lingayat-CM). Dharmendra Pradhan (the Union Minister who is the Karnataka election in-charge of the BJP) was also there. He (Pradhan) said he would convey our feelings (on the need for Lingayat-CM) to the high-command".
When a reporter again asked about the Congress narrative branding the BJP as "anti-Lingayats", the Chief Minister sought to counter him: "You want to keep the issue alive?"
In the last 50 years since 1967, the Congress has not made a Lingayat a Chief Minister except for the nine-month tenure of Veerendra Patil, Bommai said. "Don't ask this question again", he told the reporter.
There were several instances of how the Congress treated senior Lingayat leaders, the Chief Minister said, adding that people would not forget how the Congress tried to break the community (demanding a separate religious status to the community) to create a "vote bank" five years ago.
"There is respect, honour and opportunity for all in the BJP," Bommai said and alleged that the Congress "cheated" Dalits, Lingayats and Backward Classes.
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.
Kerala BJP leader PC George booked for 'hate speech'
Kottayam (Kerala), Jan 11: Kerala BJP leader P C George has been booked for allegedly making remarks that could incite religious hatred, police said on Saturday.
George was accused of hate speech against a minority community during a TV discussion held early this week, sources said.
The Erattupetta Police here registered a case against the senior leader on Friday based on a complaint filed by the Muslim Youth League Municipal Committee.
He was booked under various sections of the BNS, police said adding that further proceedings would be initiated soon.
"The case was registered after the statements of the complainants were recorded," a police officer said. Meanwhile, BJP strongly condemned the police case against George and alleged that it was a "political vendetta by the LDF government."
Senior BJP leader and the party's Kerala in-charge Prakash Javadekar accused the CPI(M)-led Left government of not saying a word against Hamas and admitting PDF followers into their fold.
Justifying George, Javadekar said he has already clarified that his intention was to express opposition to extremism and not to target any community.
"FIR against PC George is political vendetta by LDF government, which doesn't say a word against Hamas and admits PDF followers into their fold," he posted on his 'X' handle.
"UDF is also guilty of appeasing extremist politics. It never appreciated ban on PDF or condemned Hamas. PC George has already clarified that his intention was to express opposition to extremism & not to target any community. Kerala stands firmly against extremism," he added.
BJP state chief K Surendran also criticised the Pinarayi Vijayan government for registering the case against George and said the party would face the case legally and politically.
He also alleged that the government registered the case against the senior leader under the pressure of communal forces.
FIR against PC George is political vendetta by LDF government, which doesn’t say a word against Hamas and admits PDF followers into their fold.
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) January 11, 2025
UDF is also guilty of appeasement of extremist politics.
It never appreciated ban on PDF or condemned Hamas.
PC George has already…
