‘No need to learn patriotism from BJP’: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Claiming that RSS and BJP did not participate in the country's freedom struggle, CM Siddaramaiah said “we don't need to learn patriotism from the BJP”.

Claiming that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party did not participate in the country's freedom struggle, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said "we don't need to learn patriotism from the BJP."

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru (ANI)

Replying to the debate on the budget in the Karnataka Assembly, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "RSS did not participate in the freedom struggle. Even when the freedom struggle intensified, neither Keshav Baliram Hedgewar nor MS Golwalkar of the Sangh Parivar participated. We don't need to learn patriotism from the BJP. It is BJP who is dividing the country and society in the name of religion."

Exuding confidence, the Karnataka Chief Minister said that people would defeat the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

"Sab ka 'saath sab ka vikas' is just a slogan. Are such people fit to rule the country? People will defeat BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections," he said.

Siddaramaiah said that the previous BJP government did not achieve any progress; they just "looted," adding that the Congress government implemented guarantee schemes along with development programmes.

"Basavaraja Bommai presented a budget that was about ₹3.09 lakh crore in February 2023. The size of the budget presented by me for the years 2024-25 is ₹3,71,343 crore," he said.

He further said that the previous BJP government did not develop anything.

"They just looted. We have achieved development along with guarantee schemes as well. This is the difference between the Congress and the BJP governments," Karnataka CM said.

Karnataka budget session began on February 12.