I am more a Hindu than C.T. Ravi: Siddaramaiah
The Hindu
Only those respecting and following the Constitution can be called nationalists and patriots, the former Chief Minister said
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday questioned who BJP leader C.T. Ravi was to give him a Muslim name. Calling Mr. Ravi a religious fanatic, he said he was more a Hindu than the BJP leader, but not a sectarian.
Mr. Siddaramaiah was speaking after releasing Vasantha Vinyasa, biography of former MLA K. Vasantha Bangera at Belthangady. “I love my religion and at the same time respect other religions too. This is the difference between me and the RSS.” People should think whether those calling themselves nationalists or patriots are really so. Whoever opposes the Constitution or acts against its principles, were neither nationalists nor patriots, Mr. Siddaramaiah said, adding that only those respecting the Constitution and acting accordingly when in power were the real nationalists.
He questioned whether patriotism was the sole property of the BJP and the RSS and added that the Congress need not learn lessons from the descendants of Mahatma Gandhi’s killer.
There was no public mandate for the BJP to rule the State; but it grabbed power through Operation Lotus. Everyone claims the government was 40% commission government where corruption was ruling the roost in every sector, including transfers, bill payment, promotions, recruitment, and many more, he said. Stating that Mr. Bangera has been the real saviour of the poor and a real secularist, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the BJP government has increased the percentage to 50 in Dakshina Kannada as the people are literate.
He said the Congress alone brought independence to the country and later initiated several development works including mega irrigation and energy projects, food security, Right to Information and Right to Education, nationalising private banks etc. The BJP, on the other hand, has been withdrawing all pro-people measures of the Congress and even merged nationalised banks, he said.
While the State debt was ₹2.42 lakh crore since Independence till he demitted the office, it rose to more than ₹5 lakh crore in just four years of BJP rule in Karnataka. Interest alone on the debt comes to ₹23,000 crore, he added.
Former Kadur MLA Y.S.V. Datta, Mr. Bangera, and biography author Aravinda Chokkadi were present.
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