PM Modi slams Rahul Gandhi for remarks on democracy in poll-bound Karnataka
Dharwad (K'taka), Mar 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday targeted Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on democracy in the country at an international forum and said no power in the world can harm India's democratic traditions.
Without naming Gandhi and referring to the Congress leader's remarks made in London -- that structures of Indian democracy are under "brutal attack", Modi termed it an insult to 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara, the people of Karnataka, India's great traditions and its citizens.
The PM's statement is being seen with political significance, as Basaveshwara is highly revered in Karnataka, especially by the dominant Lingayat community who form the major vote base of the ruling BJP.
Modi was on his sixth visit this year to Karnataka, where Assembly elections are due by May.
"I have come to the land of Bhagwan Basaveshwar and I'm feeling blessed. Among the contributions of Basaveshwara, most important is the establishment of Anubhava Mantapa, this democratic system is researched across the world, and there are several such things because of which we say India is not just the largest democracy, it is also the mother of democracy," he said.
Addressing a large gathering after inaugurating the permanent campus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Dharwad here, he said, he has had the good fortune of unveiling the statue of Basaveshwara in London a few years ago.
"Statue of lord Basaveshwar is in London, but it is unfortunate that in the same London questions were raised on India's democracy; the roots of India's democracy have been nurtured by centuries of our history. No power in this world can harm India's democratic traditions. Despite this some are constantly making it stand in the dock," Modi said in a veiled swipe at Gandhi.
Such people are insulting Bagawan Basaveshwara, the people of Karnataka, India's great traditions, country's 130 crore aware citizens, he further said, adding "people of Karnataka should be cautious about such people."
Earlier, in a veiled attack on Gandhi over his recent remarks in the UK, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had said when India's dominance on global platforms is growing, some people are criticising the country on foreign land.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi among others were present at the Dharwad event.
Karnataka is the engine of "high tech India", Modi said. "It is important this engine gets the power of double engine government."
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Disqualification row: SC unhappy over Telangana CM's statement on bye-elections
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed its displeasure over Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's statement in the assembly that there would be no bye-elections, and said he was expected to exercise "some degree of restraint".
"Did we commit a mistake by letting him go at that time and not taking an action for contempt?" a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih asked.
The top court was perhaps referring to a separate matter in which it had last year disapproved of Reddy's comments on the top court granting bail to rival BRS leader K Kavitha in cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
The apex court's observations came during the arguments on the pleas raising the issue of alleged delay by the Telangana Assembly speaker in deciding on petitions seeking disqualification of 10 BRS MLAs who had defected to the Congress.
The bench reserved its verdict in the matter.
During the arguments, the issue over Reddy's recent statement in the assembly cropped up before the bench.
"Mr Singhvi, having experience of earlier occasion, was the chief minister not expected to at least exercise some degree of restraint?" Justice Gavai asked senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who was appearing for the assembly speaker.
Justice Gavai said the court was not bothered about statements of politicians.
"We exercise self-restraint. We respect the other two wings of the democracy. Same is expected of the other two wings also," he said.
Senior advocate C A Sundaram, representing the petitioner and BRS leader Padi Kaushik Reddy, referred to the transcripts of the chief minister's statement, calling it shocking.
A BRS MLA, the counsel said, had said in the assembly that this should not be raked up as the matter was pending before the apex court but the chief minister still made the statement.
Sundaram quoted the chief minister's statement as saying, "Mr speaker, I am telling on your behalf to everyone present in the assembly that they need not worry about any bye-elections in future. No Bye-elections will come".
Sundaram said when the chief minister made the statement, the speaker did not say anything.
During the hearing, the bench asked what would be the "reasonable period" for a speaker to decide on the disqualification petitions.
It asked whether such applications for disqualification "should be permitted to die its natural death and the Tenth Schedule be thrown in the dustbin?".
The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution deals with provisions on disqualification on the ground of defection.
Sundaram requested the bench to put a time limit for deciding the disqualification petitions, referring to it as an "extraordinary situation".
Reddy had allegedly said in the assembly on March 26 that there would be no bye-elections even if BRS members switched sides.
"If this is said on the floor of the house, your chief minister is making a mockery of the Tenth Schedule," the bench said on April 2.
The apex court had also asked the speaker why he took about 10 months to issue notices on the petitions for the disqualification of BRS MLAs who defected to the Congress.
While one of the pleas in the apex court has challenged the November 2024 order of the Telangana High Court in a matter concerning petitions seeking the disqualification of three BRS MLAs, another petition relates to the remaining seven legislators who defected.
A division bench of the high court in November last year said the Assembly speaker must decide the disqualification petitions against the three MLAs within a "reasonable time".
The division bench's verdict came on the appeals against the September 9, 2024, order of a single judge.
The single judge had directed the secretary of the Telangana Assembly to place the petition seeking the disqualifications before the speaker for fixing a schedule of hearing within four weeks.
On March 4, the apex court sought responses from the Telangana government and others on the pleas, saying a timely decision was the key and there could not be a case of "operation successful but patient is dead".
It had also sought the responses of MLAs Danam Nagender, Venkata Rao Tellam and Kadiyam Srihari in the matter.
