Bengaluru, Dec 17 (India Today): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today raised BJP poll cry in Karnataka at a rally in Bengaluru. Rajnath Singh addressed a gathering the Karnataka capital as part of the BJP's Parivartan Yatra in the state.
Rajnath Singh accused the Congress government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of letting the law and order situation slip out of the grip in Karnataka. He alleged that the Congress government was shielding the killers of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh and teenager Paresh Mesta.
"Paresh Mesta was recently killed. What this government is doing in these murder cases? Gauri Lankesh was killed. I want to assure Karnataka's people that when our government is formed in the state, we will probe her death from all angles. The culprits will be punished. We won't shield anyone," Rajnath Singh said.
Kannada tabloid Gauri Lankesh Patrike editor Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her home on September 5 in Bengaluru. On the other hand, 19-year-old fisherman Paresh Kamalakar Mesta had gone missing on December 6. His body was found near a lake in Honnavar in Uttar Kannada district on the night of December 8 under mysterious circumstances.
Rajnath Trains Guns at Rahul
Responding to newly election Congress president Rahul Gandhi's allegation that the BJP indulges in divisive politics, Ranatha Singh said, "I want to congratulate him (Rahul Gandhi). But I also want to ask him - did the fire of communalism, terrorism and naxalism in India erupt due to BJP's policies? Did fire erupt in Kashmir due to BJP's policies?"
In his first speech after taking over as the Congress president yesterday, Rahul Gandhi had said, "The BJP is spreading hatred and communalism... they break, while we unite. They ignite fire, we douse it."
"If someone formed governments by setting fire, it is Congress. BJP is trying to douse it," Rajnath Singh retorted.
BJP Sharpens Focus on Karnataka
The home minister further announced that BS Yeddyurappa will be the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Karnataka, which goes to polls next year. "The BJP will fight upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka under BS Yeddyurappa's leadership," Rajnath Singh said.
"The Congress government here wants to divide Karnataka community to rule. I received information that even though there is no such regulation in constitution, Muslim community here was befooled with reservation which was later out ruled by the court," Rajnath Singh said.
Earlier, the BJP took out a Parivartan Yatra in Bengaluru. Union ministers Ananth Kumar and DV Sadananda Gowda and BJP State Chief BS Yeddyurappa were also present in the rally.
Visuals of BJP's Parivartan Yatra in Karnataka's Bengaluru, Union Minister Ananth Kumar & DV Sadananda Gowda and BJP State Chief BS Yeddyurappa also present in the rally.