Saving Siddaramaiah: Congress issues gag order

BENGALURU: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has reportedly issued a gag order to leaders from Karnataka not to air their views in public on the Siddaramaiah led government in the state, which   completed three years last week.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader from New Delhi said, "After the Arunachal Pradesh fiasco and Uttarakhand episode,  party central leaders are a worried lot. Therefore, they have subtly passed on a message to leaders  in Karnataka to refrain from making comments against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah."

This came to light when a senior leader issued a statement against Mr Siddaramaiah at a public function recently. Party central leaders called him up and asked him not to speak against Mr Siddaramaiah. "We are already under severe pressure due to the Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand controversies where we were left embarrassed. The poll results in five states are yet to come out. At this juncture, we do not want negative aspects to be highlighted," the source added.

According to the source,  Mr Siddaramaiah may not be safe as yet but he is not vulnerable either. "Certainly, this gag order is a boon for the CM who has come under severe criticism from party leaders even more than Opposition criticism.

But at the same time he will be watched closely even more than earlier.  He might not be given the freedom he used to enjoy earlier," the source claimed.
Meanwhile, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, who had commented on the Dalit CM issue in the past, refused to speak about it on Monday.

During a function organised by LIDKAR, a state government enterprise, to felicitate Mr Kharge the first president of LIDKAR, those who were present in the audience shouted that Mr Kharge should become chief minister. Mr Kharge immediately reacted and said no one should speak about the Dalit CM issue and he would not react to it. "I was never involved in politics based on caste lines nor will I do it now. So, I appeal you not to raise the issue again," he added.

Only political power can help Dalits fulfill dreams: Dr G
Home minister Dr G. parameshwar who had pointedly asked why a Dalit should not be Chief Minister in what was seen as  an adroit attack on  Chief Minister Siddaramaiah last month, did not  speak of it in Mysuru on Monday, but he did raise the  issue of Dalit empowerment, saying only political power  could help the community realise its dreams and gain equality.

Releasing a book, “Mareyadiru Bharatha” by  Dalit writer, Dr M Kannika, the minister  said if a man could not equate himself with another, it only meant he was suffering oppression. “ Dr B.R. Ambedkar had said long ago that political power is the master key through which you can unlock all doors of progress.

Today several Dalits have become MLAs, MPs, ministers and have been elected as members of local bodies. If I had not become Home Minister or if Mr V. Srinivasprasad had not become Revenue Minister, it would not have been possible to ensure justice to the Dalit class,” he said.

Mr Srinivasprasad regretted that although Dr Ambedkar was so well read and was father of the Indian Constitution, even today some people hesitated to accept him in their hearts only because he was a Dalit.

“For all the oppression Ambedkar had to suffer and we have suffered, we could have become anti- society, but Ambedkar was tolerant and so are we. Ambedkar thought about the welfare of all and advocated democracy, and we all do the same,” he said, adding , “We are not against faith, but are only superstition.

We will bring in the Anti- Superstition Act. Maharashtra has already brought one.”
Asked about the cabinet expansion, Home Minister, Dr G Parameshwar said it was left to the discretion of the CM and also refused to comment on change of  leadership in the KPCC.