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Controversy over Jarkiholi’s ‘Hindu’ remark heats up, BJP mounts attack
The chief minister questioned the silence of former All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition in the state legislative assembly Siddaramaiah on Jarkiholi’s statement. “Is their silence an indirect support for Jarikiholi’s statements?” he asked
Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress working president Satish Jarkiholi on Tuesday ruled out giving any apology over his statement on the word Hindu. He said on Monday that the word ‘Hindu’ is Persian and has “a horrible” and “shameful” meaning, leading to a controversy.
Talking to the media in Belagavi, Jarkiholi said that he wants a debate on the issue and if proved wrong, he would resign as a legislator. He defended himself saying he was only referring to what has been written and published.
“What I have said, 90 % of people have probably not heard it completely. Just because there is a reference to the word Hindu and as I have said that it has a very dirty meaning, it has been interpreted in whatever waythey want. There is nothing new in this, and such things have happened many times in the past,” Jarkiholi said.
“What I have said is not my own, and I have said that let there be a debate, that’s my intention, but people interpret it the way they want, I can’t do much about it. I’m ready for discussion with evidence…if someone proves me wrong, I will resign as an MLA,” he added.
The Yamakanmardi legislator said whatever he has said is not his statement but what has been written and published. “In fact those pointing fingers at me should have seen and rectified it; I have done what they should have done, they should be thankful to me,” he said, adding that he is being unnecessarily targeted by a system, including “Manuwadis”.
Reacting to the Congress leader’s statement, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that Jarkiholi is a half-learned man with little in-depth knowledge. “The Congress is engaged in appeasement policy just for the sake of votes and making such half-baked statements without any in-depth study. They are under the wrong impression of getting minority votes through such statements. Through such statements, Congress leaders are trying to disturb the foundation of the belief of every Indian. Creating problems within any country amounts to the act of anti-nationalism. Everyone must condemn such acts,” Bommai said.
The chief minister questioned the silence of former All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition in the state legislative assembly Siddaramaiah on Jarkiholi’s statement. “Is their silence an indirect support for Jarikiholi’s statements?” he asked.
Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said, “Satish Jarkiholi’s statement is his personal opinion and not the Congress party’s opinion; we will ask for his explanation on the same.” He further said that the party did not agree with his statement. “Congress party supports all religions and does not agree with his statement,” Shivkumar added.
During the last election, Jarkiholi had declared assets worth over ₹148 crore from his sugar and allied businesses. He is also believed to have bank-rolled Siddaramaiah in the 2013 polls when the Congress won and Siddaramaiah became CM.
The former minister has been a strong anti-superstition activist in the state and was one of the advocates for the passing of a Karnataka anti-superstition Bill by the Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah. Prior to this, in 2015, he had even tendered his resignation for failure of the Siddaramaiah government to move on the anti-superstition Bill. Jarkiholi took the step despite his old association with Siddaramaiah.
On December 6, 2014, when he was the excise minister in a barely one-year-old Congress government, Jarkiholi dined and spent a night at a graveyard in Belagavi city in order to dispel superstition around graveyards.
