Mangaluru, Jan 11: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday dismissed speculation of a power struggle within the ruling Congress party, asserting that there was no fight for the CM’s chair in the state.
He also said he would meet Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to explain the Hate Speech Bill, even as the BJP plans to urge the latter not to give his assent to the bill.
“There is no fight, you (media) create it. Where is the fight? Unnecessarily you ask such questions,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
He was responding to a question on the BJP’s social media post claiming that the fight for the Chief Minister’s chair in the Congress party, will once again begin after Sankranti festival.
Speculations over a possible change in chief minister in the state gained traction after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
It was fueled by the “power-sharing” pact between Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar in 2023.
Responding to a question on BJP planning to meet the Governor over the Hate Speech bill, the CM said, “The bill was passed by the legislature. The Governor has neither rejected it or sent it back, nor has given his assent to it. Let’s see, whenever he calls, I will go and explain to him (Governor).”
The Lok Bhavan (the Governor House) on Friday in a statement had said that the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill was “under consideration”.
The Bill proposes a jail term of one year, extendable up to seven years with a fine of Rs 50,000 for hate crime. For repeated offences the maximum imprisonment will be seven years, with a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
Reacting to BJP’s proposed ‘padayatre’ (foot march) from Ballari to Bengaluru in connection with recent clashes in Ballari that led to the death of a person, the CM said, “let them do it, who said they should not.”
“We (Congress) have launched padayatre in the past for a specific reason, the then Lokayukta Santosh Hegde had given a report saying that Ballari has been converted into Republic if Ballari and illegal mining is being done. When I (as Leader of Opposition) discussed in the assembly, Reddy brothers (then Minister G Janardhan Reddy and brothers) and Yediyurappa (then CM) vehemently objected, so I had led a padayatre (to Ballari),” he said.
He was referring to the Congress’ 320 km padayatra in 2010 from Bengaluru to Ballari to expose illegal mining in the state, which according to many in the party, laid the foundation for the party’s win in 2013 Assembly polls with a clear majority.
Questioned the BJP’s move, Siddaramaiah alleged, “… the removal of the banner was an instigation. If the banner was not removed, where would have been the instigation? The banner was regarding the unveiling of Maharshi Valmiki statue, what was the need to remove it?”
Claiming that the BJP was waiting for an opportunity to politicise the issue, he said, “Particularly Janardhan Reddy, his brothers, and Sriramuluru (Reddy’s close confidant and former Minister) have lost hold in Ballari, Reddy’s wife lost in Ballari, so they are doing it out of jealousy.”
Tension had prevailed in parts of Ballari on January 1 night after supporters of Ballari City Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy and Gangavati BJP MLA G Janardhan Reddy allegedly clashed over a banner installation issue. The situation turned violent with alleged stone-pelting and firing, leaving one person, a Congress worker, dead.
The incident reportedly began after supporters of Bharath Reddy allegedly installed a banner related to the Valmiki statue unveiling in front of Janardhan Reddy’s residence in Ballari.(PTI)
