Karnataka Congress Criticizes BJP Over Dalit Card in Governor Gehlot Protest
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 22: The Congress party has strongly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Karnataka, accusing them of using the ‘Dalit card’ in their protests against the Congress-led state government. This follows BJP’s protest against the alleged disrespect shown to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot after he approved the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.
The Congress also condemned the BJP for removing Gehlot from the Union Cabinet and appointing him as Governor, calling it an attempt to sideline him despite his active political career. The Congress questioned, “By stripping him of his ministerial role and using a Dalit leader as a pawn in your vendetta against political opponents, aren’t you committing a grave injustice and insult to the Dalit community?”
The Congress compared this situation to the downfall of Bangaru Laxman, a Dalit leader who was appointed as the party’s National President by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. They claimed Laxman was falsely accused of corruption, leading to his demise, and blamed the ‘Sanghi mindset’ within the BJP for not tolerating Dalit leadership.
In an official release, the Congress stated, “Take a lesson from how our party’s senior leaders treat Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, our current National President, who also belongs to the Dalit community, with the utmost respect and dignity.”
The release further criticized BJP leaders, saying, “@BJP4Karnataka leaders, who are trying to change the Constitution, oppose reservations, and secretly harbour caste discrimination, have no moral right to speak about Dalits. If you genuinely respect the Dalit community, stop putting political pressure on Thawar Chand Gehlot to act against his conscience. Let him perform his duties in line with the Constitution, and end this drama of protests.”
Earlier, the BJP held a state-wide protest against the Congress for disrespecting Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot after he sanctioned prosecution against CM Siddaramaiah in the MUDA scam. The protest was led by the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy. BJP leaders and party workers, including former Deputy Chief Minister Dr. CN Ashwath Narayan, joined the protest. CN Ashwath Narayan said, “It is a fight against corruption, a fight for justice. Urging Congress to take action against its CM Siddaramaiah and ensure that he is immediately dismissed.”
Doubts Revealed
Karnataka Congress -: Karnataka Congress is a political party in the Indian state of Karnataka. They are part of the larger Indian National Congress party.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. It is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress.
Dalit card -: The ‘Dalit card’ refers to using issues related to Dalit people, who belong to the lowest caste in India, for political gain.
Governor Gehlot -: Governor Gehlot refers to Thawar Chand Gehlot, who is the Governor of Karnataka. A governor is like the President’s representative in a state.
CM Siddaramaiah -: CM Siddaramaiah is the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The Chief Minister is like the head of the state government.
MUDA scam -: The MUDA scam refers to a corruption scandal involving the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA). It involves illegal activities related to land and property.
Bangaru Laxman -: Bangaru Laxman was a Dalit leader and former president of the BJP. He was involved in a corruption scandal and faced downfall.
Chalavadi Narayanaswamy -: Chalavadi Narayanaswamy is a leader in the BJP who led the state-wide protest in Karnataka.
CN Ashwath Narayan -: CN Ashwath Narayan is another leader in the BJP who joined the protest. He is a prominent politician in Karnataka.