BENGALURU: Taking charge as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, BK Hariprasad at a big-ticket rally at the Palace Grounds here on Sunday vowed to adhere to Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chief Sonia Gandhi’s principles. He announced 33% reservation for women in KPCC posts.
He urged Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to replace those who enjoyed power at boards and corporations for the last two-and-a-half years with party workers, who are waiting for their turn.
“Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have given me the opportunity to serve. I also thank senior party leaders for making Shivakumar, who has dedicated his life to Congress and adopted principles of the party in his blood, as chief minister,” he remarked.
“I will strengthen Congress ideologically under the guidance of our senior leaders and with the support of workers. This responsibility is not an authority for me, but a sacred opportunity to serve the party and people,” he said.
SIR taking away people’s voting rights: Hariprasad
Hariprasad alleged that the Election Commission is taking away people’s right to vote by conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. “A big disaster is happening because of SIR. The country’s electoral system is being destroyed. Local parties are being submerged. Congress never did this. BJP is dividing people by bringing many ideas under the banner of One Nation One Religion,” he fumed.
“RSS and BJP are cowards. They will continue to insult Nehru throughout their lives, but will not be able to come close to him. Nehru had a vision of nation building. He built and developed many institutions. But Modi has knelt before Trump,” he alleged.
“They have taken over constitutional institutions. BJP is the political wing of RSS. RSS was against everything, including the country’s Constitution, freedom struggle and flag. Now they are working to finish off the Constitution,” he said.
“Godse was the first terrorist of this country. He was a big murderer, but BJP will not say that publicly. Ambedkar said do not come into politics to make a living, come into politics to change the lives of the poor Dalits. Mahatma Gandhi said remember the poor every day and work for them,” he elaborated. But PM Narendra Modi only remembers Adani and Ambani, Hariprasad said sarcastically.
“I was in jail with Sanjay Gandhi. I have worked with six people from the Gandhi family. Only leaders of Congress have sacrificed their lives for the country. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi are prime examples. Sonia Gandhi sacrificed power,” he said.
Kharge slams Modi on inflation, foreign policy
AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge on Sunday trained his guns at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, blaming him on various issues, from rising inflation to “failure” of foreign policy. He was speaking at a rally at which MLC BK Hariprasad took charge as KPCC president.