From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, May 21: Ending the politics of hatred is the real tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who sacrificed his life in the service of the nation, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Participating in the program organized by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee to pay homage to Rajiv Gandhi, he said there will not be peace, happiness, and harmony in society as long as the BJP's politics of hatred and vendetta exists. The poor, Dalits, and backward classes will be the first casualties in the politics of religious and caste polarization, he said.

Siddaramaiah lashed out at the BJP for unleashing a false narrative that the Congress party supports terrorism and separatism, despite former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi being assassinated by extremists. The Congress has always fought terrorism and extremism in any part of the country, he said.

The Chief Minister urged party members and the public to rededicate themselves to strengthening democracy and saving the Constitution, as well as the sovereignty and unity of the country.

With women constituting 50% of the country's population, steps must be taken to provide 50% reservation to women across all castes and communities.

"We will fully support such a move. This should be done through a Constitutional amendment in parliament. Let the ruling BJP do it. The Congress and all opposition parties will back such a move. This should be initiated in parliament and legislatures," he said, pointing out that it was Rajiv Gandhi who took the revolutionary step of providing reservation to women in all local bodies, Dalits, and backward classes.

The Chief Minister stated that the Congress party's victory in the assembly polls is the victory of all the 7 crore Kannadigas. The government will live up to the expectations of the people and fulfill all its commitments and election promises, he said, reassuring his predecessor, Basavaraj Bommai, from the BJP.

"We stand by our promises and deliver on all our commitments, unlike the BJP, whether it is Narendra Modi or Bommai," he said.

Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC Chief D K Shivakumar mentioned that he has been visiting Sriperamburu every year for the past 20 years. The memorial of Rajiv Gandhi has a stone from the quarry belonging to his brother D K Suresh, he said.

He, along with party leaders B K Hariprasad, Salim Ahmed, Nazir Ahmed, and many others, were ardent admirers of Rajiv Gandhi. He highlighted that Rajiv Gandhi was genuinely concerned about the health of former Congress Chief Minister Veerendra Patil when he was paralyzed. The party leaders decided to replace Patil with S Bangarappa. When reporters asked Rajiv Gandhi about the Chief Minister's health, he replied that he is being replaced and clarified that Rajiv Gandhi had no intention of hurting Patil or the Lingayat community, Shivakumar said.

Lauding the foresightedness and sagacity of Rajiv Gandhi in bringing revolutionary changes, the Deputy Chief Minister said it was the duty of all Congress members to work towards defeating the politics of hatred and religious polarization promoted by the BJP.

He mentioned that AICC President Mallikarjuna Kharge, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi were providing guidance and leadership for the government.

Ministers M B Patil and B K Hariprasad, along with other leaders, were present.