Those who called PM Modi man-eater need not preach us, says Kateel

BJP's N.K. Kateel criticizes CM Siddaramaiah for attacking Harish Poonja, Belthangady MLA, accused of derogatory comment on CM. He claims those who insulted PM Modi have no right to preach Poonja. BJP legislators are being targeted & booked. CM politicizing drought relief funds issue. 250 farmers have committed suicide in 5 months. BJP to submit report on drought situation by Nov 10.

In a scathing attack on Chief Minister Siddramaiah over his comment on Harish Poonja, Belthangady MLA, who is accused of making derogatory comment on Chief Minister on social media, State president of Bharatiya Janata Party Nalin Kumar Kateel on Saturday, October 28, said that people who have called Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘Narahantaka’ (man-eater) and those who have carried out ‘Pay CM’ campaign against Basavaraj Bommai do not have moral right to preach Mr. Poonja about public morality.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Kateel said since Siddaramaiah has taken charge as the Chief Minister in July there has been drastic increase in the cases to silence the voices of BJP and other right-wing activists. Of late, the BJP legislators are being targetted and booked.

Mr. Kateel said Mr. Poonja Belthangady MLA, has been recently booked in two cases. One was for alleged abuse of Range Forest officer, who came with a team of officers to damage house and also rubber plantations of a farmer from Belthangady staying in the revenue land close to the forest.

“Despite orders by the Forest Minister for a status quo and re-survey of the land, Range Forest Officer misbehaved with the Belghangady MLA and he also pushed aside Pratapsimha Nayak, MLC.” It is strange that Mr. Poonja, who had gone, along with other BJP legislators, to defend a person from his constituency allegedly victimised by Forest department, has been booked for alleged obstruction of Forest Department personnel.

On Friday, Mr. Poonja has been booked by Belthangady police for a derogatory post on Chief Minister, which was found on MLA’s fan page on the Facebook. “The post has nothing to do with Mr. Poonja, yet he has been booked,” Mr. Kateel said.

On Siddaraimah’s statement that BJP is attempting to destabilise Siddaramaiah government, Mr. Kateel said there is internal factionalism in the State Congress. “There are already three factions in State Congress— one of Siddramaiah, one of D.K. Shivakumar and one of Satish Jarkiholi. Yesterday, there was a dinner meeting of a few Congress leaders. Shortly there will be resort politics and one faction will come out,” Mr. Kateel said. The Congress government will fall on its own and there is not need for BJP to prompt it.

About the allegation that the Central government has failed to release drought relief funds, Mr. Kateel said funds are released only after the Central team completes review of the report of the State government. “Mr. Siddaramaiah knows the process, but still politicising the issue,” he said. The funds released by the Central government has always been less than what the State government asks, he added.