Congress believes in 'Gandhi's Hindutva' says CM Siddaramaiah
Belagavi (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said Mahatma Gandhi was a diehard Hindu and the Congress believes in "Gandhi's Hindutva".
BJP always projected Mahatma Gandhi as 'anti-Hindu' but one must understand that it is 100 per cent false, Siddaramaiah said at the inauguration of Mahatma Gandhi's statue in front of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, top Congress functionaries such as K C Venugopal, Randeep Singh Surjewala Congress ministers, MPs and legislators participated in the event.
The event was organised to commemorate the centenary of the lone Congress session in which Mahatma Gandhi had chaired as the Congress president way back in 1924.
The Chief Minister said, "Mahatma Gandhi used to utter the name of Lord Rama, always. When Nathuram Godse assassinated him, he uttered 'Hey Ram'. There cannot be a better example of it. He was a diehard Hindu."
According to him, Gandhi was never against Hindu faith but he wished to bring reform in Hinduism. He always wanted to see Hindus and Muslims live like brothers.
Gandhi did not limit himself to the freedom struggle but gave guidelines on governance and explained how the ministers should conduct themselves, Siddaramaiah explained.
"We believe in Mahatma Gandhi's Hindutva and they (BJP) believe in dividing the society. They are 'Manuvadis'. We believe in the Indian constitution and BJP goes against the Congress ideology. So we must protect the constitution and save democracy. If we protect the constitution, then it would protect us," the Chief Minister said.
Siddaramaiah also charged that the BJP attempted for the past many years to weaken the constitution.
Speaking on the occasion, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said there would have been anarchy in the country if there was no constitution in the country.
"This is the reason that these days people remember Gandhiji and appreciate him. People hail him for his work, his sacrifices and contributions," he said.
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BJP vows to return to power in 2028 in Karnataka, attacks Cong at executive committee meet
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP leaders on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Congress government in Karnataka and exuded confidence that the party would return to power in the 2028 Assembly elections.
The opposition party in Karnataka also passed four resolutions at its state executive committee meeting at the Palace Grounds here. It includes rampant corruption in the state, misuse of government funds, growing drug menace, agrarian problem and the garbage crisis in Bengaluru.
The party also hailed the Centre for introducing Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The executive committee welcomed the Centre's decision to give respect to 'Vande Mataram' song.
Addressing the meeting, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra alleged there was "zero development" in the state and claimed discontent within the ruling party.
"Let us work day and night to restore the BJP’s past glory in Karnataka," Vijayendra said, adding, "A situation has arisen where even MLAs of the ruling party may revolt against the government."
He alleged that law and order had completely deteriorated under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state and referred to murders in Surathkal and Yellapur, claiming no compensation had been provided to the families of a Dalit woman in Yellapur and a Dalit man in Koppal.
He further alleged that Mysuru had become a narcotics hub and recalled the rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl during Dasara in the Chief Minister’s home district.
Vijayendra urged party workers to gear up for a series of upcoming elections, including local body polls, GBA elections and Assembly bypolls, and called for grassroots mobilisation to highlight the failures of the Congress government.
Inaugurating the meeting, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, "This is not merely an organisational meeting but a meeting for introspection."
He described it as a gathering to strengthen the organisation and resolve to remove the corrupt government from power.
Expressing confidence about the party’s prospects, he said the BJP would form the government in Karnataka in 2028 with an overwhelming majority.
He criticised the Congress for the Emergency and alleged that the state had become "corrupt and financially bankrupt", referring to scandals, including MUDA. He also claimed there had been infighting over the Chief Minister’s post from the beginning and that public debt had risen sharply.
BJP National General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agarwal said the party's victory in the 2028 Assembly elections was certain and objected to alleged attempts to curb RSS activities in the state.
He accused the government of favouring minorities over Scheduled Castes and termed it a "corrupt government".
Former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who was felicitated for completing 50 years in active politics, called upon party workers to resolve to bring the BJP back to power "on our own strength" and to "uproot the corrupt Congress government".
Former Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said it was Yediyurappa who had brought the BJP to power in Karnataka for the first time in South India and praised his role in strengthening the party.
Several senior leaders, including Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi, Shobha Karandlaje and V Somanna, and other state leaders were present at the meeting.
