Karnataka bypolls: Congress accuses BJP of distributing Rs 2,000 per vote, CM Bommai hits back
Bengaluru, Oct 21: The Congress in Karnataka on Thursday accused the ruling BJP of distributing Rs 2,000 per vote in the bypoll bound Sindagi and Hangal assembly segments, fearing defeat.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, rejecting the allegation, accused the Congress of having indulged in such activities, and claimed that love and trust of the people was BJP's strength.
"As far as I know, a lot of money is being spent, the information that has spread there (constituencies) is that Rs 2,000 is being paid per vote," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "on what basis will they (BJP) seek vote? other than money there is nothing for them, they can't show any achievement. They could not manage Corona effectively, did not give proper compensation to those dead, the number of deaths itself is lies. In fact they indulged in corruption in Corona related purchases."
State Congress President D K Shivakumar too alleged that BJP was distributing Rs 2,000 per vote.
"It seems that the Chief Minister has got the intelligence report that they (BJP) will lose in both constituencies, so he has sent all the Ministers with bags of money and the money is getting distributed from the neighbouring constituency," he said addressing the election campaign in Hangal.
Hitting out at Congress leaders for the allegation, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, BJP was going to the election with the love and trust of the people, which is the party's strength.
"D K Shivakumar, while in power, during bypolls to Kundgol, Gundlupet and Nanjangud- we have seen his experience with sacks (with money), he is now trying to put that allegation on us," he said in Haveri.
Bypolls for the two seats will be held on October 30, while counting of votes will take place on November 2.
The by-elections have been necessitated as the seats fell vacant following the death of Sindagi JD(S) legislator M C Managuli and BJP's C M Udasi from Hangal.
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Bond between Assamese Muslims, Hindus very strong: Author Wasbir Hussain
Guwahati (PTI): The bond between Assamese Hindus and Assamese Muslims is very strong and no one can easily break the traditional friendship between the two communities, Wasbir Hussain, author and executive director of Centre for Development and Peace Studies, has said.
Addressing the fourth anniversary celebrations of the Assamese Syed Welfare Trust, an organisation representing the Assamese Syeds, Hussain on Sunday urged Gauhati University to start a chair in the name of Azan Pir, a 17th-century Muslim reformer and Sufi saint, on the subject of 'inter-faith harmony or harmony of communities'.
Assamese Syeds are one of the five Muslim groups officially recognised by the Assam government as indigenous communities of the state.
Hussain said except religion, there is no difference between Assamese Hindus and Assamese Muslims. Their language is the same, culture is the same, food habits are the same and they dress the same way, he said.
"I strongly believe that no one can easily break the traditional bond of friendship between Assamese Hindus and Assamese Muslims," he said.
Hussain, who is also the editor-in-chief of Guwahati-based Northeast Live, spoke about how the indigenous Muslims of Assam follow cultural Islam compared to religious Islam and live peacefully with the larger Hindu population of the state.
He complimented Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for taking initiatives for the protection of the heritage of the Assamese Muslim community and its overall growth.
Gauhati University Vice Chancellor Nani Gopal Mahanta, the chief guest of the event, said people or communities can have multiple identities that transcend religion.
He cited the example of Assamese Muslims and Syeds who are descendants of Sufi saint Azan Pir, saying they are part of the greater Assamese society.
Mahanta assured that he will push for the Assamese Syed Welfare Trust's proposal to introduce the Azan Pir chair in Gauhati University and that he will work towards republishing the works of renowned Assamese writer Syed Abdul Malik's 'Jikirs Aru Jari'.
Assamese Syed Welfare Trust president Syed Abdul Rashid Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.
