Cong's appeasement politics vs Modi's development: Amit Shah in Karnataka
Amit Shah is on a three-day visit to Karnataka that started on Sunday.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday said the assembly election in Karnataka is all about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development politics versus the Congress’ appeasement politics, and defended the BJP-led state government’s decision to scrap the 4% reservation for Muslims.
Hitting out at the Congress, Shah said, “The Congress even today is indulging in appeasement politics. The 4% Muslim reservation that was given by the Congress has been ended by the BJP, and it has increased the reservation for Lingayats, Vokkaligas, SC/STs.”
Read: SC to hear pleas on scrapping of Muslim quota on April 25
On the Congress poll campaign accusing the BJP state government of charging 40% commission, Shah said that the grand old party should go to the court, if they have evidence. “They can talk about it and should go to court if they have concrete evidence. Neither there’s any probe nor there’s any case. How will people believe in such baseless allegations?” he said.
Amit Shah is on a three-day visit to Karnataka that started on Sunday. Earlier in the day, he offered prayers at Sri Chamundeshwari Devi Temple in Mysuru district.
{{/usCountry}}Amit Shah is on a three-day visit to Karnataka that started on Sunday. Earlier in the day, he offered prayers at Sri Chamundeshwari Devi Temple in Mysuru district.
{{/usCountry}}Addressing a gathering after a road show in Gundlupet in Chamarajanagar district, Shah pointed out that state Congress president DK Shivakumar said that if their party came to power, they would reinstate the quota for Muslims.
{{/usCountry}}Addressing a gathering after a road show in Gundlupet in Chamarajanagar district, Shah pointed out that state Congress president DK Shivakumar said that if their party came to power, they would reinstate the quota for Muslims.
{{/usCountry}}“I want to ask Congress state President Shivakumar ji, you are speaking about bringing in Muslim reservation once again, but whose will you reduce? Answer the people of Karnataka. Will you reduce Vokkaligas’ or Lingayats’ or SC/STs’? This election is all about Modi’s development politics versus Congress’ appeasement politics,” Shah said.
{{/usCountry}}“I want to ask Congress state President Shivakumar ji, you are speaking about bringing in Muslim reservation once again, but whose will you reduce? Answer the people of Karnataka. Will you reduce Vokkaligas’ or Lingayats’ or SC/STs’? This election is all about Modi’s development politics versus Congress’ appeasement politics,” Shah said.
{{/usCountry}}Making significant changes in the norms for reservation in government jobs and education for backward classes and Scheduled Castes (SCs) ahead of the assembly polls, the Basavaraj Bommai-led government on March 30, notified a decision taken by the cabinet to scrap the 4% backward classes quota for Muslims. The Muslim OBC quota was split between the two dominant communities in the state, Lingayats and Vokkaligas. The changes are seen as part of the BJP’s efforts to woo the two.
{{/usCountry}}Making significant changes in the norms for reservation in government jobs and education for backward classes and Scheduled Castes (SCs) ahead of the assembly polls, the Basavaraj Bommai-led government on March 30, notified a decision taken by the cabinet to scrap the 4% backward classes quota for Muslims. The Muslim OBC quota was split between the two dominant communities in the state, Lingayats and Vokkaligas. The changes are seen as part of the BJP’s efforts to woo the two.
{{/usCountry}}Expressing confidence in the BJP forming a government with a full majority in the state, Shah added, “Under Modi’s leadership a double-engine government will be formed. Modi and CM Bommai have worked for Karnataka’s progress.”
Hitting back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of corruption — the Congress leader has referred to a “40% commission BJP government” in Karnataka — Shah said, “They can talk about it and go to court if they have concrete evidence. Neither there’s any probe nor there’s any case. How will people believe in such baseless allegations?”
Read: "40 pc commission govt will be reduced to 40 seats": Rahul Gandhi in Karnataka
Earlier in the day, Gandhi alleged that the BJP government in the state was the most corrupt in India.
Addressing a press conference in Hubballi, Shah said the Modi government had banned Popular Front of India and the NIA is investigating 24 cases related to terrorism. The BJP has tightened the noose around anti-national forces. “All of us know that when there was a Congress government here the PFI cadres used to get special privileges. The PFI was given free hand,” he alleged, while announcing a mega-dairy in Haveri with a capacity of 1 lakh litre daily production. He also told reporters that how the sugarcane farmers have benefitted with better price due to Modi government.
Shah also warned people that voting for Janata Dal (Secular) of former prime minister H D Dewe Gowda was vote for Congress and reminded voters that how the two parties came together after 2018 assembly polls. The BJP emerged the single largest party after the 2018 election, but the Congress forged an alliance with the JD(S) and formed the government, though it fell a year later.
“You made JD(S) win in the last election, but what happened at the end, they sat along with Congress. So, voting for JD(S) means voting for Congress. Do you want to vote for Congress?” he asked at a rally in Hassan district, the pocket borough of Gowda family. Senior JD(S) leader and sitting MLA H K Kumaraswamy is the party’s candidate from Sakleshpur segment, where Shah addressed the rally.
Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar who recently quit BJP and joined Congress will not win the polls this time, Shah declared, as he pointed out that Hubballi-Dharwad has always voted for the BJP.
“Jagadish Shettar will lose the election, Hubballi has always voted for BJP not to any person. BJP workers are united... reason for him not being given the ticket was conveyed to him,” Shah said. Shettar is contesting from Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency as Congress candidate.
Meanwhile, BJP president JP Nadda also embarked on a three-day visit to Karnataka on Monday. He participated in a roadshow in Sidlaghatta in Chikkaballapur district, and also visited a temple at Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district, besides addressing several public meetings.
The party’s mega election campaign is likely to get a boost with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the State on April 29. Modi, Shah, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are among the 40 star campaigners the BJP has named for the Assembly elections, scheduled on May 10. Other central leaders on the list include Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, Nitin Gadkari and Smriti Irani.
(With inputs from agencies)