The BJP on Friday counter-attacked Jnanpith awardees U R Ananthamurthy and Girish Karnad and other litterateurs campaigning for Bangalore South Congress candidate Nandan Nilekani by calling them ‘sycophants of the Congress party.’
BJP spokesperson Suresh Kumar posed seven questions to the litterateurs who have launched a vigorous campaign against the party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. The litterateurs had called Modi an autocrat.
“Every citizen has the personal liberty and right of expression in a democracy to support any political party. But still, it is our duty to pose these questions to these respected gentlemen,” Suresh Kumar said.
“The Congress had shown a ‘dictatorial attitude’ by imposing emergency in 1975. What difference have you found between the Congress of that time and the sycophancy that is continuing in the present day Congress?” he asked. He also charged that the writers were accusing the Sangh Parivar of carrying out a campaign to malign Mahatma Gandhi without any evidence.
Taking a dig at Ananthamurthy, he said the writer had declared that he would not stay in India if Modi was voted to power. “Are you (Ananthamurthy) nursing such a blind hatred towards Modi that you are not even ready to accept the people’s mandate?” he asked.
He said former prime minister Indira Gandhi had coined the phrase ‘Garibi Hatao’ and now her grandson Rahul Gandhi is using the same phrase after 43 years.
“In the past, kings and emperors used to employ sycophants to sing paeans about them and silence the critics. Is there a need for such sycophants now? Is it right for you people to play that role for Congress?” he asked.
“You have asked what is the contribution of Ananth Kumar for the development of Bangalore,” he said and added there is Ananth Kumar’s touch in Bangalore International Airport and the Metro project.
“Shouldn’t a knowledgeable voter know what could be expected from a corporator, a legislator and an MP?” he asked.
He said there are people who are not ready to accept the popularity of Modi and those who support terrorists targeting Modi. “But Modi has come out clean after all kinds of probes,” he said.
Shettar slams writers
Kolar: The BJP has high regard for writers and thinkers but not for those who have sympathy and ties with Naxals, former chief minister Jagadish Shettar said on Friday. He was replying to a question over the remarks made by a group of writers on BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at Malur. He said BJP does not want support from writers who are known for their ties with Naxals.