Cong believes in Mahatma Gandhi's 'Sita Ram', BJP in Godse's 'Ram': CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Feb 29: Raising the 'Jai Sita Ram' slogan in the legislative assembly, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday asserted that he too is a disciple of Lord Ram and has built two temples in his village dedicated to the deity.
The Chief Minister was replying to the discussion on the budget in the Assembly amid protests by the BJP and JD(S) demanding the Congress government's resignation for its "inaction" in nabbing the culprits who allegedly raised the 'Pakistan zindabad' slogans, after the ruling party member Syed Naseer Hussain was declared elected to the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. BJP and JD(S) members later staged a walkout.
"People are watching you (BJP), you are defending injustice done to the state (by the Centre). They (state BJP leaders) don't have the guts to speak in front of Modi," Siddaramaiah said, hitting back at BJP legislators, as they were shouting "Modi, Modi" slogans.
Then when they started shouting "Jai Sri Ram" slogans, he replied with chants of "Jai Jai Sita Ram, Jai Jai Sita Ram."
"BJP people don't have a brain inside their head, their head is empty. They have not read Ramayana or Mahabharata, they just listen to what others say. Someone has built a Ram temple there in Ayodhya, for that these people shout slogans here. I too have built Ram temples," the Chief Minister said.
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Continuing, Siddaramaiah said, "For everything they say Jai Sri Ram. Aren't we Ram Bhakts? We don't just say Jai Sri Ram, we say Jai Sita Ram, because ours is a joint family system. You see in all Ram temples there will be Sri Ramachandra, Sita, Lakshman and Anjaneya (Hanuman), but these people (BJP) only say Jai Sri Ram."
Stating that he has built two Ram temples in his village, he said, "Am I not Ram Bhakt? I have Rama in my name," he said, as he accused BJP of "dividing families".
"They have divided Ram and Sita-- husband and wife, also brothers (Ram and Lakshman)," he added.
"We (Congress) believe in Mahatma Gandhi's Sita Ram, BJP believes in Godse's (Nathuram Godse) Ram. That's the difference between BJP and Congress. They (BJP) never had Rashtra Bhakti, they were with the British during the freedom struggle, they should be ashamed," the chief minister said.
Accusing the BJP of betraying Kannadigas by not taking a stand against "injustice" caused to the state by the central government, Siddaramaiah also targeted the JD(S) by questioning its secular credentials for allying with the saffron party.
"Remove the word 'secular' from the party name and rename it as 'Janata Dal (BJP)," he said.
"Don't keep the name as JD(S), because I was the first state president, when the party was formed after Janata Dal split into JD(S) and JD(U). As you have gone with BJP, remove 'secular' from the party name, if you want to keep it, come out of it (alliance with BJP)," the chief minister said.
Accusing BJP of betraying Kannadigas, the CM said, "BJP members should have been in the House, I would have got more inspiration to speak. As they can't listen to the truth I'm bringing out, they are playing this drama (by staging a walk out)."
Pointing out that one BJP MLA cross voted in favour of Congress during the recent Rajya Sabha polls, while the other abstained, he said that this is why they are making this alleged 'pro-Pakistan slogan' issue big, despite the government initiating investigation.
"Lies is the home deity of BJP. They can't say anything other than lies, including Narendra Modi. BJP is a factory that manufactures lies," he alleged.
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Govt launches Haj Suvidha App 2.0 for ease of pilgrims
New Delhi, Nov 23: The Minority Affairs Ministry on Saturday launched the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 with the new version introducing key features such as air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims going on Haj.
The application was launched by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju after he inaugurated the Conference of Chairpersons of State and UT Haj Committees in the presence of Minister of State for Minority Affairs, George Kurian and Chairman of the Haj Committee of India Abdullahkutti, among others.
In his address, Rijiju noted that the Haj pilgrimage is the largest logistical operation undertaken annually by the government of India beyond its borders.
He emphasised that Haj has long been a cornerstone of the strong bilateral relationship between India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Rijiju highlighted several significant reforms aimed at improving the pilgrimage experience, including the removal of the discretionary quota, the integration of technology through the Haj Suvidha App, and the provision of facilities for female pilgrims without Mehram.
Kurian spoke about the new measures being implemented for Haj 2025, designed to enhance the comfort and convenience of the Indian pilgrims.
Among the key initiatives, he mentioned the procurement of modern buildings with lifts not only in Aziziya but also in nearby areas close to the Haram.
Additionally, the latest model buses will be introduced for travel between Makkah, Madinah, and within the Mashaer region.
The conference, organised by the Haj Committee of India under the Ministry of Minority Affairs, also marked the launch of the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 by Rijiju.
Building on the success of the Haj Suvidha App 1.0 in 2024, the new version introduces key features such as the selection process, boarding pass and air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims.
The conference included discussions on stakeholder feedback, suggestions and preparations.
