BJP national president J.P. Nadda, who is on a visit to Belagavi district, on Tuesday set the tone for the party’s Lok Sabha poll battle by demanding an explanation from AICC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge about the the alleged incident of “pro-Pakistan” slogans raised in the Vidhana Soudha. He said: “It seems everything is free here, including terrorism.’‘
“The country expects an explanation by Mr. Kharge about pro-Pakistan slogans in the Vidhana Soudha,” Mr. Nadda said while addressing a public rally organised by the party in Chikkodi of Belagavi district. “Why do you support people who spread terror in the minds of the people? Are you in favour of India or Pakistan?’‘ Mr. Nadda sought to ask Mr. Kharge.
Accusing both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of “remaining silent” on the issue, he alleged that their silence had indicated that they were supporting the perpetrators.
Launching an offensive against the Congress government in Karnataka, Mr. Nadda said: “Why are the Congress leaders silent even when their own MP’s supporters indulge in such an anti-national act? There has been a bomb blast in Bengaluru recently. Going by the way Congress is ruling Karnataka, it seems everything is free here, including terrorism.”
At the same time, he claimed the BJP would seek votes based on its achievements and not by criticising the Congress. “We have not come here only to criticize the Congress. We have come to speak about the good work done under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Today’s India is moving towards self-reliance. It doesn’t matter that we did not win the Assembly elections in Karnataka. But we are trying to convince the people about the dangers of electing the Congress,” he said.
Mr. Nadda sought to build a link between party’s organisation in Karnataka and construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. “It was in Karnataka in 1996 that we resolved to build a grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. In 2024, we have fulfilled that promise,” he said.
Mounting an “anti-Hindu” narrative against the Congress, he said, “Karnataka government has been reopening cases against Kar Sevaks. It is taxing Hindu temples. The Karnataka government is corrupt, as it wants to loot the State and fill the coffers of some party leaders in Delhi,” he alleged.
He also claimed that the BJP was the only party that stands with Muslim women. “We had vowed to protect their interests and we have done that by delegitimising triple Talaq,” he said.
Prevent Naseer Hussain from taking oath as RS member till completion of probe: BJP
BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra on Tuesday said that the party would write to the Vice-President, who is also chairman of Rajya Sabha, to desist from administering oath to Syed Naseer Hussain as member of the Rajya Sabha till the inquiry with regard “pro-Pakistan” slogan case was completed.
Mr. Vijayendra told mediapersons in Belagavi that the BJP would urge the Karnataka government to file a case against Mr. Hussain and initiate an inquiry on the sloganeering issue in the Vidhana Soudha. Meanwhile, a delegation of BJP leaders on Tuesday filed a police complaint in Bengaluru against Mr. Nasir Hussain and his supporters over the alleged pro-Pakistan sloganeering in Vidhana Soudha.
