Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making futile efforts at polarisation. He is communalising even routine welfare schemes and development programmes. However, such tricks will not work. The people will see through them and defeat the BJP, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said.
He was addressing a Congress campaign rally in Vijayapura on Friday in support of party candidate Raju (H.R.) Alagur.
“Mr. Modi has been going around accusing the Congress of including Muslims among the OBC category only for the sake of votes,” he said and claimed that “this is a communally loaded, meaningless remark.”
“It is surprising that Mr. Modi is saying that giving reservation to Muslims is unconstitutional. This is an attempt to polarize votes before elections. The provision in the Constitution is clear. Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution clearly state who should be given reservation. The State can provide reservation to any class of citizens that is socially and educationally backward. It means that the facility can be extended to all categories of citizens, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians and others,” he said.
“It is wrong to say that reservation cannot be given to Muslims. Mr. Modi’s remarks are clearly anti-Constitution. He is also lying that the Congress is taking reservation benefits away from Hindus and giving it to Muslims. It is unbecoming of a person of the stature of the Prime Minister,” the Chief Minister said.
He said that 4% reservation has been given to Muslims in 2B since 1994 following the recommendation of the Chinnappa Reddy Commission.
“It was the BJP government headed by Basavaraj Bommai that removed the 4% reservation for Muslims in Karnataka. However, the same BJP government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court and said that they will restore it,” Mr. Siddaramaiah claimed.
“This is a very important election. It will decide the future of this country. We should choose the Congress and its allies if we do not want the anti-poor policies of the decade. In the last 10 years, no efforts have been made to empower the poor, Dalits, backward, minorities and women. BJP leaders like Mr. Modi do not even talk about farmers or the poor. He should have been asking votes after citing the achievements of the last 10 years. But he is raising sensational issues to provoke emotions. This has increased after the first phase of the elections where the BJP felt that it is losing. Mr. Modi is telling lies out of fear of defeat,” he said.
“The people of Karnataka gave 25 seats to the BJP last time. But none of the MPs spoke in favour of the State in Parliament. Every one, including Vijayapura MP Ramesh Jigajinagi, kept quiet. They did not raise their voice for the State. They are all afraid of inviting the wrath of Mr. Modi. That is why I appeal to you to vote for those who speak for the State and speak for development,” the Chief Minister said.
Local leaders, including MLA Yashwantaray Gowda Patil, felicitated Rahul Gandhi, Mr. Siddaramaiah, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and Ministers Shivanand Patil and M.B. Patil. Party workers offered garlands made using raisins in Vijayapura district.
