BENGALURU/MYSURU: Politics over air strikes is unlikely to end anytime soon. Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday said the BJP’s conspiracy to take political advantage over the air strikes (on terror camps in Pakistan) will be exposed soon, while his father and senior Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge too lashed out at the BJP for trying to politicise the issue.
Speaking to mediapersons at BR Hills, the minister said BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa’s remarks linking air strikes with elections show that BJP leaders can go to any extent for votes. “What was in his heart has come out in the open. It shows that they can go to any extent for votes. They had accepted that they were part of Operation Lotus (attempts to destabilise the government). Now, after Yeddyurappa’s statements, people have a suspicion that this is also a conspiracy. That is what his statements mean. Everything will be exposed in the next two-three days,” Priyank said.
The minister also questioned Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman’s silence on the air strikes. “Where is the Defence Minister when there is a war-like situation?” he said and expressed concerns that the BJP will go to any length for votes.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Kalaburagi, Mallikarjun Kharge said Yeddyurappa’s statements indicate that the issue was discussed in the party forum. Talking about politics when the brave soldiers sacrificed their life for the country shows the BJP leaders’ mentality, he said.
Responding to a question, Kharge said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yeddyurappa’s statements show that they are utilising the courage of soldiers for their political gains. “We should give credit of the air strikes to the soldiers and not use it for political purpose. It would be an injustice to the soldiers if it is politicised,” Kharge said. Yeddyurappa had come under fire for his statements linking air strikes with the elections. His party leaders had disapproved of his views. He, however, had claimed that his statement was misconstrued.
BJP trying to turn India into a fundamentalist country: Dinesh Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao on Saturday said the BJP is trying to turn India into a fundamentalist country like Pakistan. Rao said, “The communal government in the country has created an atmosphere of fear and those who question the government are called anti-nationals.” “The BJP government at the Centre is trying to convert India into a fundamentalist country like Pakistan. There is a need to protect democracy in the country,” he said.