Non-inclusion of Nehru in Karnataka govt ad, Siddaramaiah calls Bommai "RSS slave"
Bengaluru(PTI): Taking strong exception to the non-inclusion of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in the list of freedom fighters in the government advertisement published in newspapers on Sunday, the Congress attacked BJP government in Karnataka, with its leader Siddaramaiah calling Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai a "RSS slave".
In a series of tweets, Siddaaramaiah, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, even attacked V D Savarkar, who is included in the advertisement, accusing him of pleading with British officials and acting as their "stooge" for his survival.
"When we thought slavery ended with the British gone, CM of Karnataka Bommai proved everyone wrong by showing that he is still a slave to RSS. Not including Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in the list of freedom fighters in today's govt ad shows how low a CM can go to save his chair," he said.
Noting that Bommai should remember that Nehru wrote letters and books to inspire people to participate in the freedom movement while he was jailed by the British for 9 years, he said, "Looks like RSS is sad that Nehru did not write apology and mercy petitions to British like Savarkar."
"By omitting Nehru from the list of freedom fighters, Bommai has humiliated the entire nation in front of the world. Slow claps to Basavaraj Bommai for giving an opportunity to the rest of the world to mock India," he said, as he urged the Chief Minister to apologise to the entire nation.
The advertisement by the state government's as part of 75th Independence Day celebrations, highlights the contributions and sacrifices of some prominent freedom icons both at the national level and in the state.
Further alleging that RSS has hatred towards Nehru, because he had vociferously opposed it's communalism, its support to murder Mahatma Gandhi, and had banned it, Siddaramaiah asked "But, what is wrong with you? Mr Bommai?"
"Bommai govt's ad clearly shows that RSS does not have anyone from its organisation to show as freedom fighters, other than Savarkar who pleaded with British officials and acted as their stooge for his survival. This display of insecurity has exposed the true role of RSS in the freedom movement," he said.
Citing the arrangement of pictures of national icons in the advertisement, Siddaramaiah said, "Savarkar, who pleaded with British officers to get himself released from the jail, gets a position in the front row. But, Baba Saheb (Ambedkar), who fought for freedom by being the voice of marginalised sections, gets placed in the last row. Blatant display of untouchability by Karnataka BJP. Sad."
State Congress president D K Shivakumar too, accusing the government of trying to distort history, said he did not expect it from Bommai.
"Is it a humiliation to you Mr CM to include Nehru? You can't change history. Other than being in jail, giving away his (Nehru) property, he was the first Prime Minister during whose tenure the Constitution and national flag came. He has given everything. I don't know why you are doing it. This is not Karnataka's culture," he said.
When we thought slavery ended with the British gone, @CMofKarnataka @BSBommai proved everyone wrong by showing that he is still a slave to @RSSorg
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) August 14, 2022
Not including #PanditJawaharlalNehru in the list of freedom fighters in today's govt ad shows how low a CM can go to save his chair. pic.twitter.com/QHULS19ycG
Savarkar, who pleaded British officers to get himself released from the jail, gets position in the front row. But, Baba Saheb, who fought for freedom by being the voice of marginalized sections, gets placed in last row.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) August 14, 2022
Blatant display of untouchability by @BJP4Karnataka. Sad :( pic.twitter.com/UOoBMOl32V
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.
Delhi polls: BJP releases second list of 29 candidates, features ex-CM's son, Kapil Mishra
New Delhi, Jan 11: The BJP on Saturday released its second list featuring 29 candidates for the Delhi Assembly polls, fielding Kapil Mishra, a former AAP leader now identified with hardline Hindutva politics, from Karawal Nagar.
It has fielded Harish Khurana, son of former Delhi chief minister Madan Lal Khurana, from the Moti Nagar constituency.
With the latest announcement, the party has so far named candidates for 58 seats of the 70-member Delhi Assembly.
The elections are scheduled to be held on February 5 and the votes will be counted on February 8.
Mishra, who replaced sitting party MLA Mohan Singh Bisht, made several speeches, denounced as inflammatory by rival parties, just before communal riots broke out in northeast Delhi in February 2020.
Sitting BJP MLA from Laxmi Nagar seat Abhay Verma will seek reelection from the same seat. He won the constituency in 2020 with a narrow margin of just over 800 votes.
Both Mishra and Verma are Purvanchalis. Two other candidates, Bajrang Shukla from Kirari and Pankaj Singh from Vikaspuri, also belong to the same community.
Delhi BJP's Mandir Prakoshth (temple cell) chief Karnail Singh is the party's candidate against sitting AAP MLA and former minister Satyendar Jain at Shakoor Basti seat.
Former Kasturba Nagar MLA Neeraj Basoya, who recently defected to the BJP from Congress, was fielded from the same seat.
Former Delhi BJP general secretary (organisation) Pawan Sharma will contest Uttam Nagar seat that he won in 2013.
Deepti Indora, Matia Mahal, Urmila Kailash Gangwar, Madipur (SC), Shweta Saini, Tilak Nagar, Priyanka Gautam, Kondli (SC), and Neelam Pahalwan from Najafgarh are the party's women candidates so far.
The list features four former MLAs and eight sitting municipal councilors.
Former mayor Shyam Sharma was fielded from the Hari Nagar seat which has a significant number of Sikh voters.
Tickets on remaining 12 tickets will likely be announced soon after discussions on seats like Delhi Cantt, Greater Kailash and Shahdara.
Party sources said former Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi was considered for the Greater Kailash seat, although she was interested in contesting from Delhi Cantt.
भाजपा की केन्द्रीय चुनाव समिति ने दिल्ली में होने वाले विधानसभा चुनाव 2025 के लिए निम्नलिखित नामों पर अपनी स्वीकृति प्रदान की है। pic.twitter.com/STdMQZZ2VM
— BJP (@BJP4India) January 11, 2025
