Cong truly committed to farmers' cause, BJP playing with their lives: Dinesh Gundurao

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Working President Dinesh Gundurao is a four-time legislator from Gandhinagar, a constituency familiar to everyone who visits Bengaluru as it houses the Majestic hub, where the City railway station and KSRTC bus stand are located. One of the busiest and happening places in the Bengaluru city, Gandinagar is known for its all-pervading film culture. The constituency legislator is a suave politician and a computer engineer, who chose a rather unconventional constituency to rise on the political ladder. Now, as KPCC working president he is busy managing AICC vice president, Rahul Gandhi’s much awaited visit to the city on August 16 to inaugurate Indira Canteens. Mr Rao spared time to discuss political issues ranging from farmer suicides to the latest Lingyat community controversy in an interview with Deccan Chronicle. Excerpts.

Let me start with a critical question. When the Agriculture price commission and Krishi Bhagya have failed to give relief and farmer suicides are continuing at two per day, isn’t AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Karnataka at this juncture a political gimmick?
(Smiling) It is our state government which gives loans to farmer at zero percent interest, we have waived farmer loans too. This is enough to prove that we are truly committed to farmers and it is the BJP which is playing with their lives. When we asked them to join hands with us in pressing for waiver of farm loans by the Centre, they blatantly refused. As far as suicides are concerned, we are truly pained by the scenario, we are doing our best to bail them out. We are willing to walk the extra mile if the need arises to protect farmers’ interests.

The Congress describes the I-T raids on energy minister, D.K. Shivakumar as politically motivated. What is the evidence you have to substantiate this?
Look at the BJP, how it is using the Income Tax department against those belonging to Opposition parties. It is even trying to set a narrative through its friendly TV channels to tarnish the image of Opposition leaders. These raids have been taking place on ministers like Mr Shivakumar, Ramesh Jarkiholi and on P. Chidambaram, Veerabhadra Singh and Dipinder Hooda at the national level. Are there no corrupt leaders in the BJP or its allies? The BJP is not as clean as it is portraying itself nor is the Opposition as corrupt as the BJP is trying to project.

You know that agencies make preparations for such raids six months in advance. So how can it be politically motivated?
The way raids took place at Eagleton Resort proves that they were not just raiding the minister, they wanted to threaten the Gujarat MLAs at the resort. Raids on such sensitive places where the Congress had lodged its 44 MLAs cannot happen unless the Finance minister gives his nod. Now, if Mr Jaitley says he was not aware, then I don’t believe it. Therefore, this is a politically motivated raid. They (BJP) are doing it systematically. Their aim is to threaten Opposition leaders using these agencies. Those who give in, leave us to join them. Look at what has happened to S.M. Krishana who left us for reasons well known to him. He is now nowhere in the ‘picture’ in the BJP’s scheme of things.

Here is a general question for someone from the political class. While the income of the common man and industrialists grows at 15 to 25 per cent, why does a politician's income grows at 200 to 5,000 per cent?
(Laughing) Wise investments make people’s income grow. If not, people from a simple background, would not have become billionaires. Not just politicians even the income of industrialists grows in such proportions. It is just that the politician is always under public scrutiny; his or her income draws more attention. In the realty sector, if one invests wisely, his income increases multifold in a very short span. As long as agencies like I-T do not raise questions, why should anyone object?

AICC vice president, Rahul Gandhi says other Congress units should follow the Karnataka model of OBC development. What’s so special about it?
What he means is Anna Bhagya which provides two square meals to all, Ksheera Bhagya for children and Mother’s kits for all mothers. Don’t you think all these schemes are worth emulating?

This model is flawed. Only some communities got benefits while those at the lower end of the pyramid got nothing. To be frank only Kurubas and to some extent Idigas got benefits
How can loans at zero per cent interest to farmers, Ksheera Bhagya, Anna Bhagya and loan waiver be beneficial only to Kurubas or Idigas? Ours is an all inclusive model, if not give us the right model and explain how your model is better than ours. Some schemes are designed to cater only to minorities and dalits, but those are constitutionally mandated schemes.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s strategy to divide Lingayats seems to have boomeranged.
Boomeranged? How? We are not a party who believe in dividing any community to gain dividends. The separate religion status has been a long pending demand of Lingayats. Similar, petitions were given to earlier chief ministers like B.S. Yeddyurappa, D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar. The community has been demanding religion status for more than four decades. This is recorded in their Mahasabha meets. Moreover, all BJP Lingayat leaders have been signatories to these proceedings. So, how is it that Mr Siddaramaiah is dividing them? This is a misinformation campaign.

The CM first said at a felicitation organized by Veerashaiva Mahasabha that he was for it. The next day, he told the media that he personally favoured the religion tag for Lingayats. After stoking the fire and dividing the community, he has now changed his tune. Is it fair to divide communities for votes?
Separate religion status is the community’s internal issue, Congress has nothing to do with it. All that Mr Siddaramaiah said was he was in favour of forwarding their petition to the Centre. There is no need for us divide anyone. The less politics in this, the better for everyone.