Ruckus in Karnataka Assembly as BJP accuses Cong for Ambedkar's 1952 poll defeat
Bengaluru, Mar 17 (PTI): Karnataka Legislative Assembly witnessed a ruckus on Monday with the BJP alleging that the Congress was responsible for B R Ambedkar's defeat in the 1952 Lok Sabha polls, and Minister Priyank Kharge countering it by claiming that it was Hindutva idealogue V D Savarkar, who was responsible for it.
With Kharge throwing a challenge at the BJP stating that he can prove that Savarkar was responsible for Ambedkar's defeat, citing the Constitution's founding father's handwritten letter as evidence, BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal said he was accepting a challenge, and let there be a debate on the issue.
Following this, Speaker U T Khader said he is fixing Friday afternoon time for discussion on the subject.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, while replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address, pointed out that it was the Congress government in Karnataka that enacted a legislation regarding Scheduled Castes Sub Plan and Tribal Sub Plan in 2013, after neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, which was first state to do so, and said, "it was not BJP ruled states which did it...not central government."
At this point, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Arvind Bellad asked, why did the Congress which has ruled both at the Centre and state for long did not do it earlier? "Were you (Congress) sleeping? We got freedom in 1947."
BJP MLA Vedavyas Kamath asked, "who defeated Ambedkar in the parliament polls?"
Responding to it, Priyank Kharge said, it was Savarkar who defeated Ambedkar. He was joined by several Congress legislators and ministers, including Byrathi Suresh, in alleging that it was Savarkar who was responsible for it.
Kharge said, "Ambedkar had written a letter, read it, he had mentioned Savarkar's name in it."
To this, BJP members countered by saying it was Congress which ensured Ambedkar's defeat.
Siddaramaiah responded to it by asking, "who made him (Ambedkar) the minister?"
Bellad and other BJP members retorted and said, "who campaigned against Ambedkar? Nehru did it. Who removed him from the cabinet? Who did not give a place for his burial site? Congress did not even give him Bharat Ratna."
Siddaramaiah countered this by asking why Jana Sangh did not support Ambedkar? Following which argument broke out between the treasury and opposition benches.
Kharge said in 1952 Ambedkar had written a letter to his friend. It is a handwritten note. In that he clearly says that Savarkar was responsible for his defeat.
"Will you resign if I show the letter? I will show the letter in five minutes, will you resign? I challenge you. Savarkar was responsible for Ambedkar's defeat. Accept the challenge," he said.
With BJP members objecting to it, a heated exchange broke out between both sides, resulting in chaos. Saffron party MLAs, including Bellad said Ambedkar himself had called Congress a "disease". They said Congress and Nehru were behind Ambedkar's defeat.
BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal intervened and said he was ready to accept the challenge and time should be given to discuss the matter.
"We are ready....we will prove that Congress insulted Ambedkar, let Priyank Kharge come for discussion, he should nor run away. Congress has no morality to speak about Ambedkar," he said.
Following this, Speaker Khader said he would allocate time, but the House should be allowed to function. However, chaos continued with heated exchanges between the Congress and BJP members.
The Speaker then said, challenge was thrown by Kharge and it has been accepted by Yatnal. Time will be given to both of them. "I will fix time on Friday afternoon, everyone should be present here."
As Kharge tried to read out some content of the letter purportedly written by Ambedkar in 1952 in the House, there was chaos, with the BJP members strongly objecting to it, and shouting slogans against Congress, accusing it of defeating and insulting Ambedkar.
CM Siddaramaiah said let there be a debate on Friday afternoon.
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'Like-minded' Cong MLAs attend dinner hosted by Jarkiholi amid power tussle for CM post
Belagavi (PTI): 'Like-minded' ruling Congress legislators met for dinner hosted by senior Minister Satish Jarkiholi at a hotel here, amid the ongoing power tussle within the party over the chief minister post.
While some legislators described it as a casual dinner meeting held during the ongoing winter session of the state legislature, others said political developments in the state were discussed.
According to party sources, over 30 legislators attended the dinner hosted by Jarkiholi on Wednesday night.
Jarkiholi is considered close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Those present included Siddaramaiah’s son and MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah, MLA K N Rajanna, among others.
Siddaramaiah was not present at the dinner as he was unwell, sources said.
The dinner meeting came a week after over 30 Congress legislators, including some ministers, attended a dinner along with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on the outskirts of Belagavi.
"There is nothing special about it. Giving a dinner to like-minded people is common. Such meetings keep happening. We too had one yesterday. There was nothing special, and not much political discussion took place," Jarkiholi told reporters here on Thursday.
He said this was not the first such meeting. "We have met several times before. They (legislators) have come to my place as well. Like-minded people met," he said.
However, Rajanna, a former minister and MLA considered close to the chief minister, said political matters were discussed during the dinner.
"Yes, Satish Jarkiholi hosted a dinner meeting yesterday. It was not limited to SC/ST legislators, as reported. He invited all like-minded legislators. I also attended. Several political matters were discussed. Jarkiholi himself may explain the details," Rajanna told reporters.
Asked whether politics was discussed at the dinner, he said, "Why would we meet otherwise? Would we meet just for food? When people meet, discussions are bound to happen. It serves multiple purposes."
Reacting to state BJP president B Y Vijayendra’s remark describing Siddaramaiah as an "outgoing CM", Rajanna said, "Then let us call Vijayendra the outgoing BJP president. Siddaramaiah is not outgoing. He is very much in and will continue."
Yathindra Siddaramaiah said such dinner meetings are common during legislative sessions and that he attends whenever invited.
"Everyone is hosting lunches and dinners. Recently, Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao invited me, and I attended. We met during the Congress Legislature Party meeting and over dinner. If any minister invites me, I will go," he said.
On Vijayendra’s "outgoing CM" comment, Yathindra said the opposition had been making such remarks from the beginning. "There is no meaning to the opposition’s criticism. Can we react every time? Let it be," he said.
The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation of a change in leadership after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
Reports of an alleged power-sharing agreement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023 fueled the speculation. However, both the chief minister and the deputy chief minister recently held breakfast meetings at each other’s residences on the instructions of the party high command.
This is seen as an attempt to pause the leadership tussle and signal Siddaramaiah’s continuation as CM for the time being.
Meanwhile, Rajanna stated that if a Cabinet reshuffle were to take place, two berths should be allocated to the Valmiki (ST) community. "It will be given," he said.
Asked about his own chances of returning to the Cabinet, Rajanna said he was not bothered. "I may get a minister post or may not. I am least concerned," he said.
Rajanna, who earlier served as cooperative minister, was removed from the Cabinet earlier this year following directions from the Congress high command.
Certain remarks made by him, including comments related to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s "vote theft" allegations, were cited as reasons for his removal.
The former minister said he would meet the party high command in Delhi if called. "If called, I will go. Am I mad to go without being called? Should I go just to eat at Karnataka Bhavan and return? I have sought time. If time is given, I will go," he said.
Regarding a change in the state Congress president, a post held by Shivakumar, Rajanna said there is an AICC press release dated May 18, 2023, based on which action should be taken.
Rajanna, who has been batting for a change in the state Congress president, was referring to the release which stated that Shivakumar would continue as president until the 2024 parliamentary elections.
