Bengaluru, Sep 12 (IANS): Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President B.Y. Vijayendra alleged on Saturday that the Congress is willing to stoop to any level to appease minorities and is even insulting the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ for political gains.
Addressing the Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations organised at the state BJP headquarters Jagannath Bhavan, Vijayendra alleged that Congress, which he accused of supporting slogans such as “Pakistan Zindabad” being raised inside the Vidhana Soudha, was now insulting ‘Vande Mataram’, a song that inspired patriotism among people during the freedom struggle.
He said the BJP, in contrast, believed in the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” and was working for the welfare of all communities.
“Congress says one thing and acts differently when it comes to reservations and various other issues,” Vijayendra said, alleging that while the BJP wanted to take the country forward by bringing all communities together, Congress was attempting to appease one community to secure votes.
He alleged that Congress, having realised that it could not remain in power without relying on its guarantee schemes, was now attempting to mislead people through the Bharat Jodo organisations and return to power.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set a goal of making India a developed nation by 2047, ensuring development in every sector and justice for the last person in society.
“Prime Minister Modi is leading the country with the feeling that he is not the Prime Minister but the ‘Pradhan Sevak’ (prime servant),” he added.
Vijayendra said the BJP government under former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had worked to provide justice to backward communities.
He added that that 37 of the 71 Ministers in Prime Minister Modi’s Union Cabinet belonged to backward communities and said several schemes, including those for Vishwakarma communities, had been implemented.
Calling the Golla community another name for self-respect, Vijayendra said members of the community might face poverty but were known for their self-respect.
He added that the BJP would make efforts to ensure that the Golla community received opportunities similar to those available through reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
“The Congress government is doing injustice to all communities in the state. The Golla community must progress economically, socially and educationally and should also get political representation,” he said.
He accused Congress of shedding “crocodile tears” over reservation issues while allegedly working against the interests of communities.
Vijayendra said Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was “daydreaming” about becoming the Chief Minister again after the 2028 Assembly elections.
“D.K. Shivakumar is dreaming that he will become Chief Minister of Karnataka again in 2028. But he also knows that this dream will not come true,” he said, adding that nobody could stop the BJP from returning to power in the 2028 Assembly election.
He said the BJP would work to fulfil the aspirations of the Golla community after forming the government in the state.
Vijayendra also claimed that the BJP’s ‘Ballari Chalo’ padayatra had achieved unprecedented success and accused the Congress government of betraying the people of Karnataka in the name of its five guarantee schemes.
He alleged that the Congress government in the state was looking to use its power to push projects such as a tunnel road, Bidadi township and a Kanakapura airport, while having little concern for poor people and farmers.
He also alleged that despite plans to form Bharat Jodo youth organisations, the state government was ignoring the increase in gambling and drug mafias across the state.
“They (Congress government) are promising money for youth organisations, but are not filling vacancies for around 2.5 lakh posts,” Vijayendra alleged.
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Legislative Council Chief Whip Ravi Kumar, Legislative Council member and OBC Morcha president Raghu Kautilya, Yuva Morcha state president and MLA Dheeraj Muniraju, former national vice-president of Mahila Morcha Poornima Prakash, party leader M.D. Lakshminarayana, state media convener Karunakar Khasale and leaders of the Golla community were present.
