KALABURAGI / BENGALURU : Comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to an elephant and RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge to a “barking dog” put Council Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy in an embarrassing position in Kalaburagi on Wednesday.
Talking to the media in Kalaburagi before leaving for Chittapur for a Tiranga Yatra, he made the comparison while referring to Priyank’s criticism of Modi. His statement was an adage in Kannada, which states that an elephant is not bothered about a barking dog.
Comparing their leader to a dog irked Congress workers at Chittapur, the home constituency of Priyank. They tried to forcibly enter the room in the government guesthouse where Narayanaswamy was staying. The police, however, stopped them. The workers staged a dharna in front of the guesthouse till late evening.
Narayanaswamy later expressed his regret.
Vijayendra criticises Cong workers for dharna
BJP leaders condemned Congress workers for staging a dharna against Council opposition leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy at Chittapur in Kalaburgi on Wednesday.
BJP state president BY Vijayendra expressed his displeasure, saying Chalavadi is from an oppressed community and his “detention” by Congress workers is unacceptable. “Leader of opposition is a constitutional post. Unfortunately, police failed to protect and give security to the leader, which reminds us of the emergency period,” he added.
“One has to take criticism and answer it. This is the beauty of democracy and political culture. Kalaburagi is under the control of people who endorsed Indira Gandhi’s dictatorship. Here there is no democracy nor is there respect for the Constitution. Chalavadi’s detention proves this,” he added.
He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should ensure protection to Narayanaswamy and take action against those who accosted him at the guesthouse. “If the CM keeps quiet, one has to assume that he is part of this feudalism,” he said.