From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 6: In a no-holds-barred frontal attack against BJP leaders, former Chief Minister and Congress-JD(S) Coordination panel chairman Siddaramaiah on Monday asked the BJP leaders to declare, 'I am Pagal,’ instead of attaching the slogan, 'I am Chowkidar’ to their names.

Siddaramaiah, who is known for his sharp repartees and the habit of calling a spade a spade, lashed out at senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa for his insensitive remarks on the issue of rape of minor girls.

"The frustration of being on the verge of defeat is clearly visible in everyone in the BJP from Prime Narendra Modi to Eshwarappa," he said adding: "For the public interest, it is better that BJP leaders claim themselves to be 'I am Pagal' instead of 'I am Chowkidar'."

While addressing a gathering in Dharwad’s Kundgol on Sunday in a BJP rally, Eshwarappa hit out at Congress Legislature Party (CLP) president Siddaramaiah after he reportedly refused to listen and take action against the accused in the Vibgyor rape case.

In 2014, a six-year-old girl allegedly was raped by two gym instructors on the school premises and Siddaramaiah was the then Chief Minister of Karnataka.

Eshwarappa had said that Siddaramaiah refused to listen to him when he spoke about case.

According to Eshwarappa, the former chief minister said, "What should I do about it?"

This response made Eshwarappa question what Siddaramaiah would do "if the rape victim was his granddaughter?"

Siddaramaiah asked what was Eshwarappa doing during the last five years and why is he talking about the issue at an election rally now? "It is like Modi saying former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who sacrificed his life for the country, that the latter had died as 'Brastachari Number 1" even though no court had convicted him and the Bofors case that Modi was talking about had been thrown out by the courts.

"If these guys (BJP leaders) want to debate with us, we are ready. Our party President Rahul Gandhi has been challenging Modi for a public debate since months without getting any response. Yet, Modi and BJP leaders make unfounded speeches in election rallies," Siddaramaiah said.

Taking to Twitter, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao put out a tweet which read, "What if @siddaramaiah’s granddaughter was raped," @BJP4Karnataka leader KS Eshwarappa has revealed his inhuman side.

Only a person who has lost his mental balance would make such a reference to a school going kid. He should be locked up permanently @PMOIndia."