Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 12: While Karnataka chief minister, Siddaramaiah's action in branding BJP and Hindu outfits as terrorists appears to have stirred up a hornet's nest with the BJP announcing its decision to undertake 'Jail bharo' programme, the situation within the Congress appears to be quite different. On Thursday, a day after the chief minister made this comment, no signs emanated from the party to suggest that it is doing something to assuage the hurt feelings of the opposition relating to this comment.

Congress spokesperson, Tom Vadakkan, in reply to questions raised by media persons on this issue at New Delhi on Thursday, sought to justify Siddaramaiah's action. "He is the chief minister of Karnataka. Naturally he gets classified information and intelligence reports which others do not have access to. He would be the best person to answer your queries," he commented.

Vadakkan felt that BJP national president, Amit Shah, was not right in branding Karnataka government as anti-Hindu. He said that it is up to the the people of that state to take a decision on whether elections can be won based on such statements. He reminded that national president of Congress, Rahul Gandhi, had praised Siddaramaiah during this week as a solid leader and fully backed him.

In his address in Chitradurga on Wednesday, Amit Shah had accused Karnataka government of heaping injustices and atrocities on BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers. He had said that 20 workers of these outfits had been killed in Karnataka during the last three years.

On the other hand, Siddaramaiah, on Wednesday, had accused BJP, RSS and Bajrang Dal of having terrorists in their cadres. This charge has been vehemently denied by BJP.