MYSURU: Accusing BJP of vindictive politics, targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for political reasons and levelling baseless charges against him, the Congress rank and file rallied behind the CM on Friday.
Congress leaders and cadres, who had poured into the city from across the district, held a stir to counter BJP’s massive protest planned for the day.
BJP has accused Siddaramaiah and his wife Parvati of illegally getting 14 sites allotted in their name, in lieu of 3.16 acres of land acquired by MUDA. BJP is also demanding a CBI probe into the alleged “scam”.
Congress leaders, congregated near the Institute of Engineers, raised slogans against BJP and its state president BY Vijayendra, and dared saffron leaders to produce documents to prove their charges. They charged that BJP workers don’t have any moral right to protest as their leaders are tainted and face corruption charges.
District Congress president BJ Vijaykumar announced that they will take the padayatra to Maharaja’s College Grounds, where BJP workers, led by Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, were protesting. When the police stopped them, a few Congress workers tried to take a different route to the grounds, while others attempted to jump over the barricades.
They got into a verbal duel with Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, saying she was favouring BJP, though Congress was in power in the state. The big posse of police force that was in place managed to push back protesters and stopped them from marching. The workers, including women, continued to protest despite the rain.
The police blocked the busy JLB Road from Ramaswamy Circle till Field Marshal KM Cariappa Circle. Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh said MUDA gave the sites to Parvati as per law, and termed BJP’s charges baseless.
KPCC spokesperson M Lakshmana alleged that BJP wants to fix Siddaramaiah in false cases and is keen to see him in jail, like Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
He said the opposition is antsy as Siddaramaiah has become the chief minister the second time and is committed to protect the interest of minorities, Dalits, backward classes, farmers and poor.
Karnataka Exhibition Authority Chairman Ayub Khan said the protest sent a warning to BJP and proved that Congress is solidly behind Siddaramaiah. Former MUDA chairman HV Rajeev said the BJP conspiracy of spreading lies won’t work. Siddaramaiah did not prevail upon MUDA or influence anyone to get the sites.