Congress

Ahead of the beginning of the winter session in the Karnataka Assembly on Monday, Veer Savarkar’s portrait was unveiled in the assembly hall and Congress staged a sit-in protest outside the assembly. Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly, Siddaramaiah even wrote to the Speaker urging him to unveil other freedom fighters’ portraits alongside Savarkar.

Responding to the protests, Karnataka Education Minister BC Nagesh said that it was unfortunate that the Congress don’t want the truth to come out. Stating that Congress hid the historic truths that happened during freedom movement, he said Congress doesn’t want to project nationalism among legislatures or people.

“Congress doesn’t want to project nationalism among legislatures or people. Even when we revised textbook and brought some freedom fighters into it, they did the same. They don’t want truth to come out. They hid historic truths that happened during freedom movement and even after that,” the minister said as quoted by news agency ANI.

“Unfortunate! Whenever we want to put idealism before people via people like Vivekananda, SC Bose, Savarkar, Mahatma Gandhi, they oppose. These people dedicated their life to country&they don’t want their pics,” he added.

Cong doesn’t want to project nationalism among legislatures or people.Even when we revised textbook&brought some freedom fighters into it, they did the same.They don’t want truth to come out.They hid historic truths that happened during freedom movement&even after that: BC Nagesh pic.twitter.com/d0Wtg5x3Pk

— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2022

Amid decade-old border tensions between Maharashtra and Karnataka, on Monday, several of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders staged protests near Kognoli Toll Plaza near the Karnataka-Maharashtra border.

The border issue originated when the states were divided based on linguistic lines under the State Reorganization Act in 1956. During the state reorganisation process, Belgaum and surrounding villages were included in the Mysore Princely state despite the region dominated by Marathi-speaking people. That’s how the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue originated.

The tableau from Karnataka couldn’t make the cut for the Republic Day parade after 13 years. In response, the Department of Information and Public Relations reasoned that the Ministry of Defence wanted to give Karnataka a break and give an opportunity to those states who couldn’t take part in the last eight years.

The state’s tableau missing out in the Republic Day parade has irked the opposition and former CM and Congress leader Siddaramaiah slammed CM Basavaraj Bommai for “failing to safeguard” the state’s interest.

In a Tweet, Siddaramaiah said, “It is unfortunate to know that Karnataka will not be participating in the Republic Day parade this year. Rejection of Karnataka’s tableaux reflects how serious BJP Karnataka is about upholding the pride of our state.”

The Congress leader took a dig at the Bommai government by saying the ruling government is worried about looting government resources through 40 per cent commission. “Incapable & weak Basavaraj Bommai and his cabinet ministers are worried about looting government resources through 40% commission. Had they put in a little more thought in designing the theme, Karnataka could have presented its tableaux on Republic Day.

While stating BJP government in Karnataka has pledged our pride to accommodate the interests of their high command, he questioned, “Did any of the BJP MPs raise objections for rejecting our tableaux?”

. @BJP4Karnataka leaders are known for only making noise in our state, but are cowards in front of their high command.

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 7, 2023

It was the 2022 Karnataka tableau, which showcased its cradle of traditional handicrafts, was adjudged the second best among 12 states and Union Territories.

With Assembly Elections in Karnataka just a few months away, the state Congress on Tuesday announced that they will begin a bus yatra — Prajadhwani Yatra — on Wednesday from Belagavi. The yatra will cover all 224 constituencies in the State, said Congress leader and former CM Siddaramaiah.

Meanwhile, they have also released a charge against BJP in the state. “They (BJP) formed the government through unethical means. So, we are going to take out a bus yatra which will cover all districts starting from Belagavi,” said Siddaramaiah as quoted by news agency ANI.

While giving details of the yatra, the Congress leader said, “Two groups will be formed for the Congress bus yatra – one group to be headed by me and another by DK Shivakumar. Before the Assembly elections, we will cover all 224 constituencies in the State.”

We have released a chargesheet against BJP. They formed the government through unethical means. So, we are going to take out a bus yatra which will cover all districts starting from Belagavi: Congress leader Siddaramaiah

— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2023

Failed policies of the double-engine BJP government have resulted in the drastic increase in the prices of essential commodities hurting the poor and middle-class people, said a Congress release. It has also caused great distress to the farmers in Karnataka, leading to the state becoming infamous for the second-highest number of farmer suicides in the country, the release pointed out.

The BJP government’s focus on 40 per cent commission has resulted in the death of more than 3.5 lakh Kannadigas during the pandemic and pushed innocent contractors to commit suicide.

With Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai acting as a puppet in the hands of BJP’s High Command, Congress will not let BJP run riot and destroy the lives of the people of Karnataka, read the release.

“As representatives of the people of Karnataka, witnessed your suffering and we’ll hold the BJP accountable for their crimes. The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee is releasing BJP’s ‘Paapada Purana’ (An account of sins) to expose the failures of the BJP government, outlining their record of corruption, policy paralysis, and unfulfilled promises,” said Congress in a release.

ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿಯನ್ನು ಕಡೆಗಣಿಸಿರುವ @BJP4Karnataka ಸರ್ಕಾರದ “ಪಾಪದ ಪುರಾಣ” ಬಯಲಾಗಿದೆ. https://t.co/UfEqUsQKFf ಗೆ ಭೇಟಿ ಕೊಡಿ pic.twitter.com/13TfvZItze

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 10, 2023

The Congress has assured to reach out to every Kannadiga through the ‘Prajadhwani yatra’. The congress released the logo of the yatra, “We take this opportunity to release the logo of our campaign which will be the symbol of hope and a prosperous future for Karnataka.”

Kuldeep Bishnoi, an Indian National Congress dissident leader, has resigned from Vidhan Sabha and will join the BJP on Thursday, August 4, ending his six-year relationship with the party he left in 2007 and rejoined in 2016, news agency PTI reported.

Bishnoi, 53, presented his resignation to Speaker Gian Chand Gupta in Chandigarh, who accepted it. This implies a byelection for Bishnoi’s existing seat in Hisar district, Adampur.

Bhavya Bishnoi, the MLA’s son who ran unsuccessfully in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Hisar, has also left the Congress.

Kuldeep Bishnoi had met with prominent BJP leaders in recent weeks, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party chairman J P Nadda, showered adulation on them, and given clear signs that he was leaving the Congress.

“I am joining BJP as an ordinary worker and I hope that all my supporters, be they from Haryana, Rajasthan or parts of Punjab, will be given full respect,” Bishnoi was quoted by PTI in its report.

Bishnoi formally resigned from Congress after “considering his own sentiments as well as those of supporters.”

Bishnoi immediately challenged Congress politician Bhupinder Singh Hooda to run from Adampur after resigning.

“Hooda had challenged me that Kuldeep Bishnoi should first resign (before joining the BJP). I challenge him, he had been a chief minister for 10 years, let him contest from Adampur against me or my son,” he said.

In response to Bishnoi’s statement, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan said, “The man who lives abroad for six months and remains inaccessible is talking of throwing a challenge.”

“On one hand, Bishnoi is saying he is keen that his son contest from Adampur and on the other, he is throwing a challenge for Hooda ji. The Congress party’s ordinary worker is enough to defeat him,” Bhan further addded.

The Congress removed Bishnoi from all party posts shortly after he cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections in June. The four-time MLA and two-time MP had been fuming since the party brushed him away for the position of Haryana unit president during a restructuring earlier this year.

It will be the younger son of former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal’s second departure from the Congress, nearly six years after he rejoined the party.

“I feel the Congress is no longer what it used to be during Indira ji and Rajiv Gandhi ji’s time. The Congress has deviated from its ideology. It has been reduced to a party of ‘chatukars’ (sycophants). Many of those who are running the party are those who either have not fought elections or haven’t won for decades,” Bishnoi stated.

“All decisions taken by them are proving wrong across the entire country,” he said.

(With Inputs From PTI)