Cong gave birth to ‘illegal things, corruption’ in country: CM

Alleging that Congress legislators were caught “red handed” in Kunigal in Tumakuru district recently distributing pressure cookers to voters and were fined by the Commercial Tax department, Bommai called it “pressure cooker party”

Press Trust of India

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the Congress is the one that gave birth to “illegal things and corruption” in the country, as he hit out at the opposition party’s police complaint against him and BJP leaders calling it “laughable and ignoble”.

Alleging that Congress legislators were caught “red handed” in Kunigal in Tumakuru district recently distributing pressure cookers to voters and were fined by the Commercial Tax department, Bommai called it “pressure cooker party”.

The Congress today lodged a complaint with the police against BJP national president J P Nadda, state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, Bommai and MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi levelling allegations of offering bribes to woo voters in the ensuing assembly polls in the State. The complaint comes following an alleged announcement of Rs 6,000 per vote in the assembly elections due in May by Gokak BJP MLA Jarkiholi.

“This is an example of how low the Congress has reached. Those who made a statement will give a clarification for what they said. Congress party itself has announced that it will provide Rs 2,000 for every woman-led household, 200 units of free power, they are making announcements every day,” Bommai said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, if the same yardsticks are applied, the Congress too is guilty of alluring voters. “Their (Congress) legislators, four to five of them, distributing cookers to voters with their photos on it have been found with evidence in Kunigal. Commercial Tax officials have seized them and have fined four of them,” he said.

“With so much within they have stopped to such a low to create confusion among the people to do their politics”. State Congress President D K Shivakumar, legislature party leader Siddaramaiah, who are signatories of the complaint, have requested the police to register a case and conduct an inquiry.

Stating that the Congress has a guarantee that they will lose in the elections, so they are indulging in lodging complaints and other tactics, Bommai said, “Police will look into it and let legal process follow, we are ready to face it.”

“If they give such complaints, hundred complaints can be filed against them (Congress), this is low level politics. Ultimately people will decide, it is the people’s court,” he said, adding that Congress is the one that gave birth to illegal things and corruption.