CHITRADURGA: Calling former chief minister Siddaramaiah a “daydreamer”, Energy Minister V Sunil Kumar on Tuesday said he is giving statements on various issues, presuming he will become chief minister after the 2023 assembly elections. “The BJP will come back to power with an absolute majority under the leadership of Basavaraj Bommai,” he told reporters.
“Siddaramaiah is giving statements that in 2023, his government will repeal the anti-conversion bill, anti-cow slaughter law, and restart Tipu Jayanti celebrations. The people are closely watching Siddaramaiah and will give a fitting reply to Congress.” The BJP is adhering to its 2018 manifesto, and the government introduced the anti-conversion bill as it is needed for a large section of society, he added.
Explaining the bill, he said it prevents forcible conversions by luring poor people belonging to marginal communities and those who convert will have to follow certain legal procedures. Siddaramaiah has failed to understand the importance of the bill, Kumar said. “His statement to repeal the anti-conversion bill will send wrong signals to society and put undue pressure on the government to change its stand, but we are firm,” he said.
No room for hooliganism
Kumar said the government will not tolerate hooliganism by the Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi (MES) in Belagavi, and is committed to protect the language and culture of the land. When the government has taken stringent measures against hooligans, what is the need for Karnataka bandh, he asked.
Reiterating that the 2023 polls will be fought under Bommai, he said his leadership had been approved by Home Minister Amit Shah, and again at the Hubballi meeting by BJP Karnataka in-charge general secretary Arun Singh.
Ravi questions govt’s night curfew decision
BJP national general secretary CT Ravi is unhappy with the State Government’s sudden decision to impose night curfew, fearing the outbreak of the Omicron variant. Ravi said he could not say whether his own government’s order is right or wrong, and added that virologists themselves have said there is no need to fear the new variant. “At present, life has returned to normal for people. That being the case, there is no need for the government to instill fear in the minds of the people,” the senior BJP leader maintained.