Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Sep 12: Former Karnataka chief minister (CM)Siddaramaiah had accused the BJP of indulging in the character assassination of opposition leaders. In a retort, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, pointed out that the people who played politics on the basis of corpses alone can think on those terms.

In a question directed at Siddaramaiah, Nalin pointed out that a large number of politicians, scholars, writers and the general public had opposed the celebration of Tipu Jayanti. He wanted to know from the former CM who had celebrated the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan with the aim of provoking the Hindus and appeasing the minority. He recalled that Tipu had neglected Kannada language and imposed Persian besides demolishing temples and killing lacs of people. "Who had celebrated his birth anniversary?" he quipped.

Nalin Kumar Kateel (left) and Siddaramaiah

Kateel said that the people know that during his term, blood of Hindu workers was made to be shed to please a class of the society. "The lust for power displayed by you, the way you played politics on the corpses of several workers, and maladministration of your party have made you to repent on your own misdeeds now. You have to remember what you did when in power," he advised.

He accused the then Siddaramaiah-led government of being responsible for the deaths of efficient government officers like IAS officer D K Ravi, deputy superintendent of police Ganapati, and sub-inspector Mllikarjun Bande. Their invaluable lives were wasted. Influential leaders of your own party were involved with these things but you failed to act against them. "On what right you claim yourself to be a leader," he angrily questioned.

Nalin reminded Siddaramaiah that after the goondas of the SDPI and PFI were released during his term as the chief minister, many Hindu workers in the state were murdered. He said Siddaramaiah had supported such people even after incidents like the above repeated. "Tens of lives were lost because of this blunder. Who else but those who played politics based on corpses get the idea to blemish the leaders of the opposition parties?" he satirically questioned.