Belagavi: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah got personal in his attacks against BJP leaders, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, B.S. Yeddyurappa, and K.S. Eshwarappa, while lambasting them on Friday on the issue of concern for Dalits families, and breaking bread with them in their houses.
Addressing a rally of Congress workers at Athani, Mr Siddaramaiah, who so far dubbed the visit of BJP leaders to homes of Dalits as a gimmick, said “Mr Yeddyurappa is enacting a drama by sharing a meal with members of Dalit families. If he wants to follow the principles of saint-reformer Basavanna and really show concern for problems faced by Dalits, he should marry his children into Dalit families,” and accused the state BJP president with playing the Dalit card on the eve of next year’s elections to the Legislative Assembly. How come Mr Yeddyurappa did not show any concern for Dalits over the last four years but woke up to meet them for their votes. The gap between Dalits and those belonging to upper castes cannot be bridged by sharing a meal but through marriage. Dalits, however, are wiser and could not be taken for a ride by these leaders, he added.
Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, K C Venugopal, too, trained his guns on BJP leaders, posing a challenge to them to impress upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi the need to waive farm loans released by public sector banks. All BJP leaders, including Union ministers Arun Jaitley and M Venkaiah Naidu, were resorting to double standards on the issue of waiver of farm loans, he added.
Mr Venugopal queried why Mr Yeddyurappa was visiting homes of Dalits now and not when he was the Chief Minister. “He is visiting them and eating in their homes because elections are only ten months away,” he added.
Mr Siddaramaiah also attacked Mr Modi on the issue of retrieving black money from abroad. He said of Rs 62,000 crores released by public sector banks, the state government was prepared to pay Rs 20,000 crores provided the Union government agreed to write off Rs 62,000 crores.
Rubbishing claims of BJP leaders about early Assembly in Karnataka, Mr Siddaramaiah said his party was voted to power by people to rule for five complete years, and that the government would complete its term.
Earlier, launching Basaveshwar lift irrigation project in Athani, Mr Siddaramaiah said the project which cost Rs 1300 crores would help irrigate 68,000 acres in several parts of Athani region. The irrigation project would benefit people living in 22 villages around Athani and Kagwad.
