RSS icon opposed tricolour: Siddu

NT Correspondent

Mysuru

Claiming that Hindutva icon Veer Sawarkar had opposed the national tricolor, Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah accused the BJP led NDA Government of playing a drama in the name of the ‘ Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign for the forthcoming 75th anniversary of Independence Day.

Talking to reporters here on Monday, he said even RSS Sarsanghchalak Golwalkar and the BJP’s mouthpiece, ‘Organiser’ had opposed the tricolour.

The former CM also asserted that the BJP did not have any respect for the Constitution, National Anthem or National flag.

The Congress Party got independence for the country and they had been celebrating the national festival in the real spirit. Did the RSS fight for the country’s independence? The Jan Sangh was born in 1951. Did any RSS leader go to jail during the freedom struggle? Did RSS founder Hedgewar or Golwalkar go to jail, he wondered.

Siddaramaiah felt the BJP was scared of him because of which they have not stopped commenting on him even a week after his 75th birthday celebration in Davangere. The saffron party knows well that Congress will return to power in Karnataka, he asserted.

On reports that he was planning to contest from Varuna Assembly constituency in Mysuru which is presently held by his son, Dr Yatindra Siddaramaiah, the Congress leader termed it as a figment of the imagination.

He said he had conducted a padayatra in Malur, Chintamani and Chamundeshwari which did not mean that he was planning to contest from one of these constituencies. “I will reveal my constituency when the poll approach”.

The committee headed by Justice Bhakthavatsalam had submitted its report to the State government on political reservation for backward classes and it has been accepted. Instead of this report, the government should have implemented the report submitted by the Kantharaj Committee, he said.

 The Supreme Court has clearly stated that a three-level test must be conducted while giving reservation to the backward classes, he said adding that a specific commission must be formed to give a correct report.

Siddaramaiah also referred to KPCC President D.K.Shivakumar’s statement that the government is deleting AHINDA votes from the electoral roll on the ground that these communities would vote for the Congress Party and quipped that the BJP is ready to go to any extent to win the election.