MANGALURU: The BJP’s Janakrosh Yatra against the Congress State Government’s policies entered Dakshina Kannada on Wednesday.
Addressing a gathering in Mangaluru, state BJP president BY Vijayendra directly attacked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying that the latter is the CM of only Bengaluru, as he is not seen elsewhere.
“There are two reasons for that. He (Siddaramaiah) is scared that DyCM DK Shivakumar will occupy his seat if he leaves Bengaluru. He is also not going elsewhere, as he is scared that people will beat him up,” Vijayendra said.
Vijayendra went on to accuse the Congress government in the state of being “anti-people, anti-Hindu, and corrupt” and urged people to uproot it.
He said that prices of over 50 commodities have increased ever since the Congress came to power in Karnataka in 2023. “The price of milk has gone up by Rs 9 and that of petrol and diesel by Rs 7.5. Farmers are made to shell out Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh to get a power connection to their farmland,” Vijayendra said.
Referring to the participation of 83-year-old Vatsala Kamath in the rally, the BJP leader said that it indicates the people’s anger against the Siddaramaiah government. Referring to a person kissing an accused in the murder of BJP worker Praveen Nettar while he was being taken to a court in Dakshina Kannada, Vijayendra said, “If BS Yediyurappa was the CM, then that person would have been gunned down.”
Vijayendra said Karnataka was second in development after Gujarat when Yediyurappa was the CM, but now under Siddaramaiah, the state has topped the country in corruption.
Vijayendra also condemned the government for extending 4% reservation for minorities in government contracts and releasing funds for the education of Muslim girls.
He lashed out at the CM for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi over alleged injustice to the state in the devolution of funds and said that the state received more funds under Modi’s rule compared to the UPA regime.
He alleged that the development has taken a back seat in the state and rural students have no buses to reach schools and colleges. “Is Dakshina Kannada not in the state? Why are you not giving funds?” he said.
Former minister B Sriramulu said that the Congress government is solely dependent on the five guarantees, but there is no guarantee for people’s lives in the state.