Daijiworld Media Network – Chitradurga (SS)

Chitradurga, Jun 21: Union minister A Narayanaswamy has charged that in Chitradurga the exploited people are being subjected to religious conversions by inducement of a biryani.

Reacting to the state government's decision to repeal the anti-conversion law, he said Andhra Pradesh has seen 90% of conversions while it is 30% in Telangana. "People of my Madiga community are getting converted everywhere. In Chitradurga and its surroundings, it is enough for people to get converted if they are given a biryani and so their backwardness and poverty is being exploited," he charged.

He said the exploited are being targeted and converted. "It is not possible to get an identity through conversions and so the previous BJP government under Basavaraj Bommai had enacted a law against forced conversions. Let the Congress go against this," he said.

The union minister said uniform civil code is being welcomed even by Muslims. The move will ensure respect to Indian Constitution which was what Dr Ambedkar wished for while alluding to the fact that it will be wrong to repeal the anti-conversion law by the state government. He said Dr Ambedkar wished that the Constitution should be supreme and respected by all.

On the Congress guarantees in the state, the union minister said the party had come to power with these tall promises which are against the principles. "The government should provide free rice to the citizens as per its promise and it is inappropriate to blame the Centre for not supplying rice to the state." He said the Centre is supplying rice based on the availability of stock and produce.

Ridiculing the Shakti scheme that allows free travel for women in government-run buses, Minister Narayanaswamy said it is a red bus for citizens as many children and mothers have fallen from the buses. "Women are fighting with the bus drivers and conductors. Government buses are running to packed capacities but nobody has seen the condition of the roads and state of affairs that exist in pilgrim centres. There is no security for bus drivers and conductors. Moreover, there has been no inspection conducted on the condition of the buses," he charged.

He said Congress had coined the slogan 'Garibi Hatao' but the people continued to remain poor even after many years of the slogan being coined.