Karnataka CM Bommai on Gandhi Jayanti: 'Why should I talk about fake Gandhis?'

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday hit out at the ‘fake Gandhis’ and alleged that the state was an ‘ATM’ for them.

Published on: Oct 2, 2022, 14:26:41 IST

By Yamini C S | Edited by Swati Bhasin

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Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday hit out at the Congress, and more particularly at the "fake Gandhis", a day after Rahul Gandhi had brought up the "40 per cent commission" controversy amid the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Leaders of both the BJP and the Congress have been stepping up attacks on each other in the race up to the assembly polls in the state.

File photo of Basavaraj Bommai. (Facebook)

The chief minister was addressing the media on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti when he slammed party leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and D K Shivakumar for being out on bail and alleged that the state was an "ATM" for the grand old party. “Today is Gandhi Jayanti, why should I talk about fake Gandhis? The whole Congress party is out on bail - Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and D K Shivakumar are out on bail. Karnataka was an ATM for the Congress party, now it's gone," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Party stalwart D K Shivakumar responded to the chief minister's statement, saying, “Yes, I'm on bail. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are also on bail. They've (BJP) dozens who are on bail. Yediyurappa has no case against him? Bommai registered cases against me. Let him send me to Parappana Agrahara (Central Jail), I'll take some rest.”

Bommai's statement comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi targeted the ruling BJP government in the state by bringing up the “40 per cent commission” controversy on Saturday as he led the party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra for the second day in Karnataka. The controversy pertains to claims by contractors that a hefty commission had to be paid to government officers for getting any job done.

READ | Rahul Gandhi brings up '40% commission' controversy in Karnataka: 'PM didn't..'

Meanwhile, Rahul resumed the third day of the mass contact programme in the southern state on Sunday, and offered tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at an event in Badanavalu of Mysuru on the 153rd birth anniversary of the 'Father of the Nation'.

READ | Rahul Gandhi offers floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi in Mysuru amid Bharat Jodo Yatra

The ruling BJP and its opposition Congress have also been locked in a stand-off with each other in poll-bound Karnataka, over the ‘PayCM’ posters, which featured the chief minister, meant to further the allegations over corruption in many of the government's departments.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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