From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Mar 29: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be arriving in Bengaluru on Wednesday to participate in the 115th Jayanti of Sri Shivakumar Swamiji, who was the most revered and popular seer of Siddaganga Mutt of the Lingayat community, and will he proceeding directly to Tumakuru to offer pooja and homage to his seat at 3.30 pm.
Significantly, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also visiting the Siddaganga Mutt on April 1 and the visit to be followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in the State on April 5 is considered politically significant for the ensuing assembly polls in the State, especially due to speculation that the polls may be advanced to December along with the assembly elections in Gujarat.
The former Congress President will be meeting Congress leaders belonging to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike limits on April 1 and later he will be meeting all Congress legislators, ex-MLAs, the defeated party candidates in the 2018 polls as also the defeated candidates in the Lok Sabha polls besides ex-MPs and presidents of different frontal organisations of the party, KPCC President DK Shivakumar told media representatives in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Answering questions on whether Gandhi is visiting Siddaganga mutt as part of the pre-planned programme or on the advice of the State Congress leaders, the KPCC chief said the ties of the Gandhi family with the Mutts and all other religions were like the ties that all devotees have with God. The Gandhi family has been regularly visiting Mutts and has visited thousands of mutts in different parts of the country.
He said late Indira Gandhi had visited the Sringeri Mutt and her son late Rajiv Gandhi had stayed in the mutt for weeks and performed Homas. Congress President Sonia Gandhi had also participated in the Guruvandana programme in Siddaganga Mutt. The ‘Annadasoha’ (feeding the people) programme in the Mutts was an inspiration for the Congress party to launch mid-day meals programme for school children when SM Krishna was the Chief Minister, he explained.
Shivakumar claimed that the Gandhi family has always been respecting and honouring the Mutts and the party is not trying to create afresh. However, some BJP leaders are trying to ‘hijack’ even this, he alleged.
Asked whether Congress party was adopting ‘soft Hindutva’ to counter BJP, he replied: “Are we, most of you and me, not Hindus? Rahul Gandhi has already explained the difference between being Hindu and Hindutva. It is the ruling BJP which trying to divide the people and polarize voters in the name of religion. The State Government is destroying the lives and livelihood of poor people in the name of religion. Is this soft or hard Hindutva,’’ he questioned.
40% Commission charge against Eshwarappa
Replying to another question on senior BJP leader and Rural Development and Panchayat Minister KS Eshwarappa being accused by the Karnataka Contractors Association of demanding 40% commission in all contracts and directly writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the Congress leaders have already discussed the issue.
“We are waiting for Chief Minister’s reply and eager to know how the Prime Minister responds to the complaint. We will announce our plan of action after that,’’ he said.
When pointed out by reporters that it has become a trend to level charge against those in power and demand their resignations and whether Congress party will seek the resignations of such leaders when they come to power, Shivakumar said: “Did anybody write against me? When case was registered against me and I was jailed, did or has anybody written any letter? Were there cases of corruption or rape? There was nothing. Still I was arrested. Why,’’ he asked.
Responding to BJP leaders stating that the entire 40% commission issue was a political conspiracy, the KPCC Chief said: “When Eshwarappa wrote to the then Governor against his own Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, how did it happen? Was it a conspiracy? When BJP leaders Basanagouda Patil Yatnal or H Vishwanath levelled allegations, how did it happen? If no action is taken, does it not mean that the allegations were true? The silence is acceptance,’’ he claimed.
Asked whether the Congress party was ready for advancement of assembly polls, the KPCC Chief asserted that the party was ready to face elections whenever they are held. “Let the elections be held this month or announce the calendar of events even tomorrow, we are ready. Let them announce the elections on November 27,’’ he said.
On how he has indicated November 27 as the date for assembly polls, Shivakumar quipped: “We too have our own sources.’’
The KPCC Chief announced that the party will carry out its novel protest of garlanding the LPG cylinders in front of their houses and beat the drums on March 31 to register its protest against the price hikes by the Modi government. The video recordings and photos of the protest must be uploaded in social media and the Prime Minister must be tagged, he said and urged the party workers and people to voice their protests.
The March 31 protest will be carried out despite the visit of Rahul Gandhi from 8 am to 11 am, he said.
Shivakumar said the party will hold rallies in the districts on April 7 against the price rise under Modi government.