Bengaluru, April 9 The Karnataka BJP’s ‘Janakrosh Yatra’, organised against the government over price rise and reservation for Muslims in tenders for public works, entered its third day on Wednesday. During the yatra a BJP leader called the state government a regime of 'jihadis' and 'Tughlaqs'.
Thousands of BJP workers and leaders participated in the protest march held in Madikeri city, led by Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R. Ashoka.
The Janakrosh Yatra will also be held in the communally sensitive Mangaluru district, known as a BJP stronghold.
Speaking at a public meeting in Madikeri, former BJP state President Nalin Kumar Kateel stated, “There is no Siddaramaiah government in the state; this is a government of jihadis and Tughlaqs.”
Kateel claimed that the yatra has been launched to protest against the anti-people policies of the Siddaramaiah government and to bring about its downfall.
He alleged that while there was a policy of ‘suppressing’ the Hindu community, incidents of cow slaughter were continuing unchecked across the state.
He further alleged that the wave of murders, which began with the killing of a Jain monk in Belagavi, has continued under CM Siddaramaiah’s rule.
“The Congress has forgotten all the promises it made after coming to power and is behaving in an anti-people manner,” said BJP state President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra while addressing the people at the yatra.
He said, “During elections, the Congress staged a drama around irrigation issues. They undertook two padyatras —one towards the Krishna River and another towards the Mekedatu project. Siddaramaiah, who became the Chief Minister by garnering votes under the AHINDA banner, has now forgotten all backward communities.”
“There are more than 100 backward communities in the state. But the Congress has ignored them and is focussed solely on minorities, particularly the Muslim community. However, the BJP has taken up pro-people struggles even in the absence of elections,” he stated.
He claimed that in the 20 months since the Congress came to power in the state it increased the prices of over 50 essential items, causing severe hardship to the public.
“As a result, the same people who voted for Siddaramaiah and the Congress government are now cursing them out of frustration,” he remarked.
“They have hiked petrol and diesel prices. They have also increased milk prices three times within just 20 months, raising it by a total of Rs 9. Poor families now have to spend more to provide nutritious milk to their children,” he criticised.
“Siddaramaiah claims the price of gas cylinders has gone up by Rs 50. But he is only telling half the truth. In March 2023, the price of a gas cylinder was Rs 1,107. Today, even with a Rs 50 increase, it is Rs 850. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi government had reduced the price by Rs 300,” Vijayendra pointed out.
“You’ve increased milk prices by Rs 9. Was there any rise in international prices that justified this? Tell the public,” he demanded.
Vijayendra further alleged, “The Congress, which came to power using the AHINDA slogan, especially Siddaramaiah, has misused Rs 38,500 crore that was allocated for the social and educational development of Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Additionally, the government’s move to reserve 4 per cent in public works for Muslims is unconstitutional.”
The public meeting was also attended by former minister B. Sriramulu, MP Yaduveer Wadiyar, Legislative Council Chief Whip N. Ravikumar, State Vice President M. Rajendra, Kodagu District President Ravi Kalappa, State Farmers' Wing President A.S. Patil Nadahalli, regional in-charge Uday Kumar Shetty, Rajesh Kaveri, former district president Robin Devaiah, Bharateesh, and several party leaders and workers.
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