Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar says the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka is giving tacit support to Hindutva outfits that are raking up communal issues in the hope of electoral gains. He believes, however, that the saffron party will not get a U.P.-like result here.
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How do you view the series of polarising incidents in Karnataka and the Government’s response?
The BJP leaders have been raking up one or the other communal issue daily to hide the failures of the Government. The Government has no achievements to showcase before the people. They started with hijab issue and continued with banning Muslim traders from establishing shops on premises of Hindu temples. Now, they started boycotting halal meat and demanding removal of loudspeakers from mosques. Next, they picked up the issue of mango trading to target Muslim traders. The BJP leaders are giving tacit support to Hindutva outfits to divert people’s attention from real issues such as unemployment and hike in prices of fuel, LPG and other daily goods. Unemployment and inflation have no religion.
Congress has been saying these developments are aimed at elections next year. Do you believe the BJP is expecting U.P.-like result and how do you think Karnataka’s electorate will respond?
I don’t think Uttar Pradesh’s result will repeat in Karnataka. Our State is totally different. The people of Karnataka are peace loving. The BJP is spreading lies.
If you think Karnataka will not react like U.P., what are the reasons for your belief?
The people here want communal harmony and peace. Businessmen and other people from other countries come to Benglauru first and then go to other places in the country. Bengaluru is attracting investment from different countries. Fortune India 500 companies are operating from Bengaluru. Patients from various countries come to Benglauru to undergo medical treatment. Our socio-economic culture is totally different compared to U.P. Karnataka cannot be compared with U.P.
What is Congress’ specific plan to counter it electorally and socially?
The Congress unites people, while the BJP divides. The Congress will expose the BJP Government’s failures by holding protests and rallies across the State. We are holding a protest on April 11 at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru against inflation.
The Congress seems to be often confused in its response to these incidents. Does the party fear being dubbed “anti-Hindu”?
I don’t think so. We are countering the BJP’s propaganda in different forms. BJP leaders are raising communal issues, we are raising issues related to problems faced by the people.
