Karnataka ‘sovereignty’ row: Congress dubs BJP charge ‘fakery and falsehood’; accuses it of denigrating state’s ‘swabhimaan’
New Delhi, May 8
Amid a controversy over Sonia Gandhi’s Karnataka “sovereignty” remark, the Congress on Monday dubbed the BJP’s charge “fakery and falsehood” and accused the ruling party of denigrating the state’s “swabhimaan”.
On the last day of campaign for the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka, Congress general secretary in-charge of the state Randeep Surjewala said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should answer on corruption charges against his party’s government and added excuses cannot be the refuge of BJP in this election.
“The desperation of Prime Minister Modi and the BJP is glaring as they seek to clutch at straws for want of a narrative in Karnataka. We reject the fakery and falsehood being perpetuated by PM as he refuses to answer a single question on why BJP is denigrating the ‘swabhimaan’ of Karnataka,” the Congress leader said in a statement.
He said the Prime Minister should answer why the BJP-Shiv Sena Government of Maharashtra has extended its schemes to 865 villages in Karnataka.
“Is this not naked breach of federalism? Why are Kannadiga youths not being permitted to take CRPF exam in Kannada by the Modi Government? Why was the tableau of Narayan Guru not permitted by the Modi Government in the Republic Day Parade?” he asked.
The Congress leader said, “The PM should answer on the ‘40 per cent commission BJP Sarkara’. Excuses cannot be the refuge of BJP in this election.”
The Congress has accused the BJP dispensation in Karnataka of engaging in rampant corruption and “taking 40 per cent commission in all kinds of work done by the government”.
The BJP on Monday moved the Election Commission seeking action against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and derecognition of her party for her use of the term “sovereignty” for Karnataka during the state poll campaign. The party also demanded an FIR against her.
In a blistering attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Modi on Sunday accused the party of openly advocating for “separating” Karnataka from India.
The Prime Minister’s charge came a day after former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi addressed a campaign rally in Hubballi.
The Congress referring to her speech in a tweet said Gandhi, who is the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson, “sends a strong message to 6.5 crore Kannadigas”. It also posted pictures of Gandhi speaking at the public meeting.
“The Congress will not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka’s reputation, sovereignty or integrity,” the tweet read.
Polling to elect 224 members of the Karnataka Assembly will be held on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13. The campaigning came to an end on Monday.
