Nanjungud: The BJP's Nanjungud MLA, Mr. B Harshavardhan, has demanded that former chief minister and backward classes leader Siddaramaiah clarify his statement on Dalits' intentions to join the BJP. He should issue an unconditional apology if he stands by his remarks.
In a press release, the MLA said that it has been reported that former chief minister Siddaramaiah has stated that many Dalits had joined the BJP for their livelihood. "If Mr. Siddaramaiah has made such remarks, it is not that he has insulted Dalits (Left), but the entire Dalit community. It amounts to insulting the entire community. Dalits are united. They are living like brothers. It is time for the Congress leader to clarify.”
Mr. Harshavardhan has said that former chief minister Siddaramaiah, being an Ahinda leader, should remember that he became chief minister because of the support of Dalits. The entire community had stood by him. In addition, senior leaders like V Srinivas Prasad and Dr. G Parameshwara had extended their support. But later, how these two senior leaders were treated is not yet forgotten by the Dalit community.
If senior leader Siddaramaiah fails to clarify his remarks against Dalits now, then his comments would take a different angle altogether, the BJP MLA has opined.
The MLA has said Congress leaders who are finding fault with the BJP now, must remember that it was the Congress that ignored the legacy of Dr. B R Ambedkar. Mr. R. Dhruvnarayana, a former Congress MP, should remember that the Congress had pitted its candidate against Dr. Ambedkar when he ran in the Lok Sabha elections. But for Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Ambedkar would not have got his due.
It was the BJP government led by the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, that gave Dr. Ambedkar the Bharat Ratna. The Prime Minister has emphatically stated that the Constitution is sacred. The BJP government had marked five places, including where Dr. Ambedkar was born and died, as Pancha Thirth. While the Congress never accepted Dr. Ambedkar, the Dalit icon, the BJP has acknowledged his contribution to nation-building, Mr. Harshavardhan said.
Referring to the allegation by the former MP, Mr. Dhrunvnarayana, that the BJP was denying reservation facilities to the SCs and STs by privatising many government organizations, including the Railways, Mr. Harshavardhan said such comments are made without any basis. "For better management, certain bodies may go into the purview of private agencies. This doesn’t imply that the reservation facilities would be done away with. People shouldn’t be misled by such false statements, "he said.
The MLA, referring to former MLA A R Krishnamurthy’s claims that he had quit the BJP in protest against BJP MP, Mr. Ananth Kumar Hegde’s statement that his party has come to power to effect a change in the Indian Constitution, said, "If Mr. Krishnamurthy had guts, then he should have stayed in the BJP itself and raised his concerns. Then people would have appreciated him. Some years ago, the BJP MP, Mr. V Srinivas Prasad, in the presence of Party President, Mr. Amit Shah, Mr. Muralidhar Rao, and late Union Minister H N Ananth Kumar, in a public meeting in Mysuru, had expressed his ire over Mr. Hegde’s statement. Mr. Srinivas Prasad, while pointing out that Dalits had joined hands with the Prime Minister, had said that action should be taken against those who make adverse comments. Mr. Srinivas Prasad was bold enough to speak out."
Like Mr. Srinivas Prasad, if Mr. Krishnamurthy was bold enough, then people would have appreciated him. Mr. Krishnamurthy should remember that he made a mistake by making an indirect remark about senior leader Srinivas Prasad. And, people ensured Mr. Krishnamurthy’s defeat.
The MLA said it is time for the Congress to do introspection before hurling charges against the BJP.
(ಉಪಯುಕ್ತ ನ್ಯೂಸ್)
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