(Eds: Incorporating related report) Bengaluru, Dec 17 (PTI) Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi aday after he accused BJP of spreading hatred, Union HomeMinister Rajanth Singh today said it was his party which hasbeen trying to douse the fire "lit by Congress" on issues suchas Kashmir and communal tensions.
Addressing a BJP rally here, he also accused the Congressgovernment in Karnataka of trying to 'divide' the society andlashed out at it on the law-and-order front, citing thekillings of right-wing activists and journalist Gauri Lankesh.
The senior BJP leader posed several questions to RahulGandhi, who made the charge after being handed over the batonby his mother Sonia Gandhi yesterday to take over as theCongress president, heralding a generational change.
Singh said: "Congress has got a new president. Icongratulate him. He says that BJP is responsible for theunrest in the country. I want to ask him who is behind theconmunal tensions, terrorism, Naxalism and unrest in Kashmir? "Who is behind the dynastic politics in the country? LetRahul Gandhi know that it is BJP which is trying to douse thefire lit by Congress," Singh said.
He also said the "whole world knew that the BJP aloneknows how to run the nation. The Gujarat and Himachal Pradeshelection results (tomorrow) will prove it again. Already exitpolls have predicted that we are going to form the governmentin these two states," he said.
In his first speech to party workers after formallyassuming charge as Congress president, Rahul Gandhi had said:"They break, we unite. They ignite fire, we douse it. They getangry, we love. This is the difference between them and us." Targeting the Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka,Singh said the Congress regime believed in "spreading enmity"between different communities.
Referring to the killing of RSS activist Rudresh hereearly this year and VHP leader D S Kuttappa in Kodagu districtin NOvember, 2015 and 19-year-old Paresh Mesta recently, hesaid they were "murdered in cold blood." Even Gauri Lankeshwas killed.
"If we come to power in Karnataka, we will get these casesthoroughly investigated," the Union Home Minister said.
Lankesh was shot dead by unidentified assailants here inSeptember, leading to a national outrage.
Mesta, who was from the fishermen community, was founddead under mysterious circumstances in Uttara Kannadadistrict, leading to violence last week.
The state government has ordered a CBI probe into Mesta'sdeath, for which the BJP has blamed the "jihadi elements".
Accusing the Congress of dividing the society, Singh saidwhen there was a controversy surrounding the 18th-centuryruler of Mysuru, Tipu Sultan, the state government should haverefrained from celebrating his birth anniversary.
"There were many other historical characters forcelebrating their birthdays such as Kittur Rani Chennamma, thefounder of Bengaluru, Kempe Gowda, and (renowned engineer) SirM Visvesvaraya. The Karnataka government wants to divide theIndian society," he added.
Singh said the Karnataka government gave reservations toMuslims, even though there was no such provision in theConstitution.
"Reservation based on religion is a deception with thepeople of the state. The Constitution does not allow it," headded.
The Union minister said the country was scaling newheights under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Despite the GST (Goods and Services Tax) anddemonetisation, various international economic organisationshave projected a high economic growth rate for the country.
They have even recommended such economic reforms," he added.
Regarding border security and internal peace, Singh saidthe way the Dokalam stand-off with China was resolved showedthat India was a strong country.
"Even China realises that India is not the same anymore,"he added.
Singh said the country had taken the terrorists in Kashmirhead-on and curbed their activities substantially.
Karnataka's growth would be rapid if the BJP was voted topower in the state, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappatoo slammed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for allegedly talkingabout Modi in a derogatory manner.
"You (Siddaramaiah) are only a 'bachcha' (kid) in frontof Prime Minister Modi. When the whole world is admiring Modi,who are you to talk about him in an insulting way," the formerchief minister said.
The BJP rally here ws organised as part of "ParivarthanYatra" with the party leaders crisscrossing the state to"expose the misdeeds" of the Siddaramaiah government ahead ofthe Assembly polls, due early next year. PTI GMS RA APRVS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.