Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Nov 2: Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje on Monday November 2 accused the state government and particularly chief minister Siddaramaiah of appeasing the minorities and working against the interest of the majority community in cases like Prashant Poojary murder and the beef issue.

Addressing a press meet at the BJP office in Kadiyali here, Shobha referred to Siddaramaiah's statement that nobody could stop him from eating beef if he wanted to, and said, "The chief minister is making statements about eating beef for the sake of vote bank. He's repeatedly making statements which are against the majority community. BJP will not tolerate such statements. The CM should immediately withsdraw his statement.

"It is not just one community that voted for Congress, but all, hence the CM should support all communities and not appease minorities.

"The CM has hurt the religious sentiments of the majority community. If he has guts, let him bank PFI and KFD. Instead of banning, the state government has dropped the cases against PFI and KFD," she said.

Asked why the central BJP-led government was not banning export of beef and whether, being MP, she had urged the centre in this regard, Shobha said, "We (BJP) have majority in Lok Sabha but we are minority in Rajya Sabha. Hence, we are not getting the required support, as in the case of GST bill. We will discuss the issue about beef export. The Karnataka government should ban beef."

Referring to the murder of flower vendor and Bajrang Dal activist Prashant Poojary in Moodbidri last month, she said, "PFI and KFD have a planned conspiracy to murder those propagating Hindutva in broad daylight and the Congress government is supporting them."

She also condemned minister Abhaychandra Jain for calling Prashant 'a miscreant who had over 20 complaints against him', Shobha said, "Prashant had told his father about the killers. But now ministers Abhaychandra Jain and U T Khader are trying to mislead the probe. Minister Jain's claim that there were over 20 cases against Prashant Poojary is false. True, some cases were there against him, that is normal for anyone, but he did not face criminal cases. He was not a rowdy-sheeter. Abhaychandra Jain should apologize to Prashant's family.

"Murder is not the answer for everything. The guilty should be punished severely according to law. Everybody has the right to live," she added.

When asked about the widely different viewpoints of BJP and Congress with regard to Prashant Poojary's nature, and about BJP leaders virtually 'worshipping' him, she replied, "Yes, we will worship Prashant. He was not a criminal, he was fighting for a cause. It is common for anyone to face cases. Abhaychandra Jain is telling lies to mislead the people."

"Congress government is one-sided and its programmes are also one-sided. By not banning beef and cow slaughter, it is protecting the interest of the minorties," she claimed.

"The CM should clarify his stand on cow slaughter ban. With new people inducted in the government, there is confusion and total misgovernance," she added.

To a question on the construction of underpass at Karavali junction, she said the project was approved when Congress Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes was the union transport minister, and it would be difficult to repeal it now.