HD KUmaraswamy said: “These congressmen are not the protectors of the citizens of this state.”
New Delhi:
The alliance and bonhomia in Karnataka between Congress and HD Kumaraswamy’s Janata Dal Secular proved short-lived and now, before the by-elections in the state, there are no knives. Both parties have put forward candidates for the Bengaluru Rajarajeshwarinagar assembly seat and sharp comments have been flying from both sides.
Today, it was the head of JDS and the prime minister of the former alliance government, HD Kumaraswamy, who took aim at Congress for the recent violence in the DG Halli and KJ Halli areas of Bengaluru.
The violence, which took place in August, had so far provided the BJP with ammunition, and party leaders accused congressmen of participating after the home of a Congressional MLA, Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, was burned down.
Kumaraswamy, who was accompanying his party candidate V Krishnamurthy for the presentation of his nomination, said that now the “real picture” has emerged.
“These Congressmen are not the protectors of the citizens of this state. They are the main culprits of that raid. Now people think about that issue … Congress is not safe for the people of Bengaluru City. I think they will take a proper decision in this election, “he added.
The traditional rivalry between the JDS and Congress was put aside in 2018 to prevent the BJP from coming to power in the state. Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi from Congress had called Mr. Kumaraswamy and reportedly offered him the post of Chief Minister in a last minute alliance.
His government collapsed last year when part of the MLA withdrew. Both sides had accused the BJP of manipulating the defections.
Former Congressional Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who had accompanied his party candidate Kusuma H for his nomination, tried to ignore the DJ Halli problem.
“There may be some differences between Sampath Raj and Akhanda Srinivas Murthy and Zakir,” Siddaramaiah said, referring to a former mayor and a businessman, both of whom were questioned in the case.
But the presence of differences “doesn’t mean they created this,” he said. “I am convinced – I have gone to that constituency – that because of the failure of the police, the failure of the government, that incident occurred,” he added.
The violence in Bengaluru sparked more than the fire at the MLA house. Two police stations and several vehicles were also burned. Four people died in the violence.
The ruling BJP said that Congress and SDPI workers were involved in the clashes that was sparked by a Facebook post, allegedly made by Akhanda Srinivas Murthy’s nephew.
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