Basavaraj Bommai accused the Congress of weakening the institution of Lokayukta. (file)
Vijayanagara (Karnataka):
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said his government will do everything to ensure justice to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in the state.
Days after he decided to increase the reservation for SCs/STs, Mr Bommai alleged that the Congress was trying to mislead the public on the issue.
He said, “We are ready to fight a legal battle to get justice for SC/ST. You tried to break many communities including Veera Shaiv-Lingayat and backward communities too, but now Dalits have no fear because we are their are together.” Mr Bommai said at a public meeting in Vijayanagar district during the ‘Jan Sankalp Yatra’ in the election state of Karnataka.
He criticized the previous Congress government led by Siddaramaiah for doing nothing to empower the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The Chief Minister accused the Siddaramaiah government of not spending money only for SC/ST.
“Now, we have come up with schemes for SC/ST communities, which will improve their condition,” Bommai said.
He warned Congress leaders, especially Siddaramaiah, not to speak ill of Yeddyurappa. He alleged that the Congress tried to fix false cases against him in the last one and a half decade.
“If you continue to speak ill of Yeddyurappa, the people of the state will teach you a lesson,” the chief minister said.
He accused the Congress of encouraging only one community and remained silent on the killing of BJP workers.
Mr Bommai accused the Congress of weakening the institution of Lokayukta by setting up an Anti-Corruption Bureau only to hide its scams.
He said that those who fear his government are those who indulge in illegality, drugs and atrocities on women and Dalits.
“At the same time, the Congress is scared of our government because we have got public support,” Bommai said.
He ridiculed the Bharat Jodi Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Bommai said, “Congress is a sinking ship due to which Bharat Jodi has been started. Rahul Gandhi is tired of trying to unite Siddaramaiah and Congress state president DK Shivakumar. How does he join India with his Bharat Jodi journey? can add.”
The Chief Minister made fun of the Bharat Jodi Yatra and said that the Congress broke the country in two to come to power.
Bommai said, “Those who gave birth to Khalistan movement by supporting Bhindranwale, Naxalites and LTTE spread across 11 states are talking about India pair today.”
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ is apt and reflects the vision of the BJP government.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)