Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after casting his vote at his native place in Siddaramanahundi in Mysuru on Friday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Mr. Modi was resorting to anti-Muslim speeches at election rallies out of “desperation”.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Siddaramaiah said Mr. Modi may be gripped by fear of the BJP losing in the elections as most of the 102 Lok Sabha seats for which the elections were held in the first phase will be won by INDIA bloc partners.
Mr. Siddaramaiah accompanied by his son and former MLA Yathindra cast his vote at Siddaramanahundi in Varuna Assembly constituency, which is part of Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency.
While denying Mr. Modi’s charge that the Congress government in Karnataka was giving reservation to Muslims out of the quota earmarked for backward classes and Dalits, Mr. Siddaramaiah said Muslims were given 4 per cent reservation under 2B category of OBC in Karnataka after a decision in the regard was taken by the erstwhile M. Veerappa Moily government of the early 1990s based on the O. Chinnappa Reddy Commission report.
The subsequent government issued a government order with regard to reservation to Muslims in 1994, he said.
When pointed out why former Minister H.D. Deve Gowda was silent after Mr. Modi’s remarks even though he was claiming that it was his government that came to power in the State in 1994 that extended the provision of reservation to Muslims under 2B of OBC, Mr. Siddaramaiah said Mr. Gowda practices “opportunistic” politics. “He speaks only when it convenient for him. If not, he keeps silent.” he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah also described Mr. Modi’s “Mangalsutra” remark as “provocative”.
He said both the “mangalsutra” remark as well as the “anti-Muslim” rhetoric of Mr. Modi were “RSS-inspired” speeches. Mr. Modi was giving voice to the “hidden agenda” of the RSS, he charged.
Finding fault with Mr. Modi for speaking against Muslims, Mr. Siddaramaiah said as a Prime Minister he should not speak against any religion. For, the Prime Minister should treat all the religions equally. “This is what the Constitution demands. If he does so, it is against the Constitution”, he said.
The Congress has already lodged a complaint against the Prime Minister with the Election Commission. No action has been taken so far though the Election Commission has assured to examine the complaint and take action as per law, he said.
He also described as “lies” the BJP’s claims that the Centre had provided Karnataka its due share of taxes and other reliefs. “If they had given us drought relief, why would we go to the Supreme Court?”, he questioned before adding that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Home Minister Amit Shah as well Mr Modi were “lying”.
To another question, Mr. Siddaramaiah denied that the State government had hiked taxes on liquor.
Guarantee wave
Fielding queries on the electoral scenario in the State, Mr. Siddaramaiah there was no “Modi” wave in the State. “There is only a wave of the guarantees of the government. We will win up to 20 seats out of the 28 seats in the State as our guarantees have reached the people”, he said.
The people of the State will bless the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections like they did during the Assembly elections held last year, he said.
When asked how many seats the party will win out of the 14 that went to polls on Friday, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the Congress will a majority of the seats, including Chamarajanagar and Mysuru.
