Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Aug 8: BJP national secretary C T Ravi's proposal to change the name of Indira Canteen, the brainchild of the previous Congress government in the state, has irked Congress leaders who are already miffed with the centre's move to rename Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award after Milkh Singh.

C T Ravi has requested chief minister Bommai to change the name of Indira Canteens throughout the state to Annapoorneshwari canteen.

Leader of opposition and former chief minister Siddaramaiah, under whose government the Indira Canteens were set up across the state, took C T Ravi to task on the same subject and opined that attempt to change the name of Indira Canteen amounts to 'revenge politics'.

"The BJP governemnt should not get into petty politics & attempt to rename Indira Canteen. It has been tradition to name roads & govt buildings after National leaders," he tweeted.

"Will @BJP4India govt rename the stadium which is named after @narendramodi? Flyover named after Deendayal Upadhyay & City Bus corporation named after Vajpayee? Will BJP rename these? (sic)" he questioned

"Smt Indira Gandhi initiated reforms to eliminate poverty & implemented Land reforms act. To honour her for the contribution, the canteen was named after her. What is wrong in remembering her contribution? (sic)" Siddaramaiah tweeted.

Siddaramaiah also criticised the union government's move to rename Khel Ratna Award. "There is no doubt the Major Dhyanchand was a great hockey player. But his name would have been given to some other award. Why only Rajiv Gandhi’s name needs to be changed?"

"I do not havee any hope from the new cabinet. Almost all are old ones in the new cabinet. So how one can expect newness? There is no representation for 13 districts in the cabinet. Opportunity for old Mysuru region is lessened. There are 24% Dalits in the state. Only four posts are given to Dalits. Bhovis, Koracha and Korama have not got any positions. When we were in power prominent portfolios were given to people of this community. On the whole there is no regional balance and social justice in the new cabinet."

Slamming the ED raids on Congressman Zameer Ahmed, he said, "If one had amassed wealth disproportionate to his income or illegal money transfer or misuse then only the income tax department raids the individual and based on the recommendation of IT, ED also conducts raids. However, ED has raided the house of Zameer Ahmed all of a sudden. This is politically motivated.

"Zameer has just built a house. The money is not misused or transferred illegally. Why raids are not conducted on BJP members. Are they all BPL card holders? Why members of Congress party are targeted? Zameer is my close aide. I have many friends. In BJP also I have well wishers. But friendship and politics is different.”

Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao also lashed out at C T Ravi over Indira Canteen name issue. "It is not Indira Canteen but your evil mindset that needs a change," he said, addressing himself to Ravi.

Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted, "C T Ravi, who is like an ambassador of hatred, has pressurize the CM to change the name of Indira Canteen. If the hunger of poor people is quenched just by changing the name, I do not have any objection. The BJP government has held back grant to Indira Canteen. What needs change is C T Ravi’s evil mindset and not the name of Indira Canteen."