From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Apr 18: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Chief D K Shivakumar strongly attacked the “double standards” of the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government in the State with regard to protests by Congressmen and former minister K S Eshwarappa.
Speaking to media persons near his residence on Monday, April 18, the KPCC Chief said the Congress leaders were arrested when they went to the Chief Minister’s residence to gherao demanding the dismissal and arrest of Eshwarappa while the latter went in a huge procession to Bommai residence to submit his resignation, when a large crowd of BJP leaders and party workers were present.
“The police did not take any action even when the ruling party leaders and workers shouted slogans in favour of Eshwarappa. The entire tamasha was shown live by the electronic media and yet the police remained silent. Not a single case was registered,” he said.
The KPCC Chief also pointed out that Eshwarappa, when he was still a cabinet minister, openly flouted the prohibitory orders under Section 144 in Shivamogga when the funeral procession of Hindu activist Harsha was held.
There are several more instances when BJP leaders have openly flouted the prohibitory orders and other restrictions and the police have remain silent when they go out of the way to take action against opposition leaders, Shivakumar said.
The State Congress President also said the BJP workers, Bajrang Dal activists and other Sangh Parivar workers have taken law into their hands under the guise of enforcing moral policing while the Chief Minister supports such behaviour, going to the extent of asking what is wrong in moral policing.
Shivakumar said the Chief Minister and Home Minister Araga Jnanendra have remained silent even when police officers have worn saffron shawls and dress instead of the police uniform.
He alleged that the Chief Minister remained silent when Sangh Parivar activists stormed into a church and conducted bhajans with impunity and Bommai’s government said non-Hindu traders should not work near the temples. Is this a government that treats all citizens equally, he asked.
The KPCC Chief condemned the violent incidents in Hubballi over a social media post and said nobody should take law into their hands. He complimented the police for acting impartially in controlling the situation despite facing the brunt of the attacks. It is wrong to destroy and damage public property, he said.
To a question on the reports that influential leaders were behind the Hubballi violent incidents, Shivakumar demanded that the government must take stringent action against the culprits, however influential they may be. "They can book me if I am involved," he said attacking the weak policies of the Bommai regime.
Shivakumar attacked the government over media reports that 30% commission was being collected even from Hindu religious mutts for releasing government grants. The ruling BJP has been openly carrying out corruption, he said.
Answering questions on the corruption in the police recruitments and the government’s decision to order a CID probe, the KPCC Chief said these kind of incidents have never happened in the State.
“I have records and documents on the irregularities in the police recruitments. As many as 52,000 candidates have appeared for the tests and large number of candidates have suffered injustice,” he said and wondered why the Chief Minister and Home Minister have ordered CID probe after brazenly claiming that there was no corruption.
Earlier, he met Nationalist Congress Leader Sharad Pawar and held discussions with him in Bengaluru.