BJP launches poster campaign on Siddaramaiah helping PFI

BENGALURU: A poster war has broken out between the Congress and BJP: after the former released the ‘PayCM’ poster with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s image on a QR code, the latter has Congress leader Siddaramaiah in Tipu Sultan’s attire on its posters.

Revenue Minister R Ashoka released a poster with Siddaramaiah’s picture, accusing him of dropping cases against PFI activists when he was chief minister. “Despite the opinion of the state DGP and legal committee not to close cases against PFI activists, Siddaramaiah, following former minister Tanveer Sait’s letter on December 10, 2012, helped over 1,600 activists,” alleged Ashoka. He pointed out that the cases were related to banned writer Taslima Nasreen’s book. “Now Siddaramaiah claims he is in favour of the ban on PFI, which shows his double standards,” Ashoka said.

The BJP poster is a copycat version of the Congress campaign, with a QR code which directs the user to pfibhagya.com, and an article headlined, ‘PFI ban a message to anti-national groups’, besides news stories on Congress leaders being soft on the PFI in the past. “Siddaramaiah implemented PFI Bhagya,” Ashoka claimed. “Saddened @siddaramaiah as he did not come to march along with @rahulGandhi and @DKshivakumar on Saturday, after the ban on PFI. Why Siddaramaiah is so sad?” the BJP tweeted. Some social media users sought proof that cases against PFI activists were dropped.

KPCC communications wing chairman Priyank Kharge denied that the Siddaramaiah government had dropped cases against PFI activists. “The BJP is rattled by Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, and may resort to spreading conspiracy theories... Let them answer RSS leader Satyajit Surathkal, who alleged that the BJP was supporting PFI with logistics,” Kharge said.

KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed alleged that the BJP had made use of the PFI politically, to snub the Congress. “Let the government ban all organisations that spread hatred in society,” he urged.