Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 3 : Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday alleged that the Congress Party has no faith in Dr BR Ambedkar or in the Constitution of India after All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala accused him of frequently changing reservation in the state.
Reacting to Surjewala's tweet on the reservation, Bommai said, "The Congress leaders have used the words 'illegal' and 'anti-Constitution' for giving the reservation. Dr Ambedkar had made a provision in the Constitution to give the reservation based on population. Accordingly, the state government fulfilled the long pending demand of SC/ST communities and recommended including it in the ninth schedule of the Constitution."
"The Congress Party did not have faith in Dr BR Ambedkar or in the Constitution written by him," remarked Bommai while talking to reporters on Monday.
In a tweet on April 2, Surjewala said, "Double Engine Sarkara is Double Droha! DNA of BJP is Anti SC -ST! Bommai Govt is mocking the Constitution by changing reservation 3 times in 90 days - 26th & 29th Dec, 2022 and 24th March, 2023. BJP policy of Dupe, Deceive, Defraud will be defeated in #Karnataka!"
Accusing Congress of playing vote bank politics, CM Bommai said, "The Congress did not do anything for the SC/ST communities during its tenure and used them as the vote bank. They are telling lies that the Justice Nagmohan Das Commission report was submitted four years ago. But the truth is that the commission was given a six months extension by the BS Yediyurappa Government. During my regime, an all-party meeting was convened and took assent. Later, a decision in favour of the SC/ST communities was taken in the State Cabinet. The government issued an order for including it in the ninth schedule."
Reacting to the Congress' statement that they (BJP) would withdraw the order once they come to power, the CM said, "The question of the Congress party coming back to power does not arise as well as the withdrawal of that order. They did not have the strength or the opportunity to do it. That statement would be condemned in strong words. The Congress leaders were shaken after seeing the works of the BJP Government."
Talking about the upcoming elections, CM Bommai said, "The opinion of everyone has been collected for the first list of candidates. The opinion of district-wise core committee members has been collected and will be discussed in the state-level core committee meeting in the next two days. Then the Central Parliamentary Board meeting will take place on April 8 where the list will be finalized."
The Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the Karnataka Assembly elections. The polling would take place in a single phase on May 10, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Wednesday.
The counting of votes will be done on May 13, the CEC said in a press conference here.
Detailing the data of the electors, the CEC said that there are a total of 5.21 crores in the state and the number of 100 plus voters is 16,976.
He informed that over 58,000 polling stations would be set up across the state.
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