Rahul Gandhi's yatra has no value, says BS Yediyurappa
Ramanagara, Oct 9: Former Chief Minister and BJP stalwart B S Yediyurappa on Sunday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra' has no value as his party would never come to power in poll-bound Karnataka.
"Your (Rahul Gandhi) party's presence is dwindling across India barring one or two places. In Karnataka, it is somehow breathing. So, he (Rahul Gandhi) is talking whatever comes to his mind, but that is of no use," Yediyurappa told reporters in Harisandra village in the district.
He was replying to a query on the possible effect of Bharat Jodo Yatra on the Assembly elections next year.
"Congress will never come to power in Karnataka. The State visit and Bharat Jodo Yatra have no value," he added.
The BJP leader said Priyanka Gandhi had toured Uttar Pradesh during the Assembly elections there and fielded many women candidates, yet the Congress could not win two seats.
Regarding former chief minister and Congress stalwart Siddaramaiah's charge that the BJP indulged in politics of hatred after the name of Tipu Express was changed to Wodeyar Express, Yediyurappa said Siddaramaiah is fond of appeasing Muslims which is why he spoke like that.
"However, the people of the country and the State have welcomed the decision of changing the name of the train. No one is hurt for changing the name of the train barring a few people like Siddaramaiah," the BJP strongman claimed.
The Railway Board on Saturday renamed the Tipu Express which runs between Bengaluru and Mysuru as Wodeyar Express.
Yediyurappa said he and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai would tour across Karnataka from Tuesday onwards, covering 50 Assembly constituencies in the State.
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Police making efforts to locate, recover weapons disposed of by Maoists: Karnataka Home Minister
Bengaluru, Jan 10: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday said that six surrendered Maoists have not handed over their weapons, and the police are working to locate and recover them from the forest where they are believed to have been disposed of.
Noting that one Maoist, expelled from the surrendered group, is still at large and efforts are underway to trace him, he said there is no one else involved in Naxal activities in the state. He added that any individuals coming from other states will be closely monitored.
A group of six Maoists surrendered to the government in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his home office, ‘Krishna,’ on Wednesday evening.
The group includes four individuals from Karnataka: Mundagaru Latha from Sringeri, Vanajakshi Balehole from Kalasa, Sundari Kutluru from Dakshina Kannada, and Mareppa Aroli from Raichur. The other two are Vasantha K from Vellore in Tamil Nadu and N Jeesha from Wayanad in Kerala.
"We need to search for the weapons. It is not yet known where they were disposed of in the forest, but efforts are underway in that direction," Parameshwara told reporters in response to a question.
Addressing the BJP's allegation that the government prioritised rehabilitation for Maoists over recovering their weapons, he said, "They keep making such claims. The government will do its job. We may need to gather information from the Maoists about where the weapons were hidden and seek their assistance. There are procedures, and they will be followed."
The BJP has also been in government, and they are aware of this. It was the same police department during their tenure, he added.
The six surrendered Maoists will be rehabilitated under categories 'A' and 'B' of the Naxal Surrender Policy, Karnataka 2024, and will each receive Rs 3 lakh.
In response to a question about reports that another Maoist, Ravindra, is still at large, the Home Minister said, "According to the information we have, this group had expelled him, but the reasons are not yet known. Efforts are underway to trace him, and he is believed to be in the Chikkamagaluru region."
Regarding the surrendered Maoists, the Home Minister stated that they were the last active Maoists in the state.
He added, "If anyone comes from other states, it will be closely monitored. There is a possibility of individuals coming from Odisha or Kerala, and we will remain vigilant. The government is making efforts to discourage Naxalism. According to our information, no one else is currently involved in such activities in the state."
The surrender followed the killing of Maoist leader Vikram Gowda in an encounter with the Anti-Naxal Force at Peetabailu village in Hebri, Udupi district, on November 18, 2024.
When asked about Vikram Gowda's family seeking compensation in light of the package being provided to surrendered Maoists, Parameshwara said, "It will be verified. Both cases are different."
