Undeclared emergency in K’taka, Siddaramaiah acting like Hitler

Bengaluru: Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje launched a scathing attack on the Karnataka government, accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of running the state under an undeclared emergency and comparing him to Hitler. Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru, Karandlaje condemned the filing of multiple FIRs against BJP leaders, including MLAs Harish Poonja and Tejaswi Surya, while claiming that no action has been taken against Congress leaders for their inflammatory statements.

Karandlaje specifically pointed to Congress leader Ivan D’Souza, stating that despite his controversial statements, no legal action has been initiated against him. She also raised the case of police officer Parasurama’s suicide, suggesting that the Congress MLA involved has gone unpunished, in stark contrast to the selective targeting of BJP leaders.

The Union Minister accused the Congress-led state government of shielding its own members, alleging that former Minister Nagendra, implicated in a scam, has conveniently been left out of the SIT chargesheet. “What is Siddaramaiah trying to do to this state?” Karandlaje asked, expressing her frustration at what she described as blatant political favoritism and an attack on opposition leaders.

Shobha Karandlaje also turned her attention to the communal riots during the Ganapathi dispersal procession in Nagamangala, criticizing the state government for failing to maintain law and order. “Ganesh Murthy himself was taken away in a police van. This is the first time in the country such a thing has happened. Ganapati himself was destroyed. They threw sandals, pelted stones, and burned down 25 shops,” she said, blaming the state government for allowing such chaos to unfold. She further alleged that the violence had outside support, claiming that people from Kerala were involved in the riots.

Karandlaje also cited other incidents that she believes highlight the deteriorating situation in Karnataka, such as the display of a Palestine flag in Kolar and the defacing of the national flag with Urdu writing in Bengaluru’s Nandini Layout. “This is the state of Karnataka today. How have anti-social elements gained such courage?” she questioned, criticizing the Siddaramaiah government for allowing these incidents to occur unchecked.

Responding to the legal action taken against her and other BJP leaders, Karandlaje was defiant. “The government has lodged an FIR, and we will deal with it. The police can arrest us, and we are ready for it. We have fought before and will continue to fight. We do not cower in fear of these threats,” she declared, asserting her resolve to stand up to the government’s alleged intimidation tactics.

When asked about the rape case involving MLA Munirathna, Karandlaje stated that “the wrongdoers will be punished.” She emphasized that if the MLA is guilty, he should face legal consequences, adding, “We will not protect anyone who has done wrong. But the government should not engage in the politics of hatred.”

Karandlaje’s fiery remarks follow an FIR filed against her for allegedly sharing false information regarding the Nagamangala riots on social media. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she had claimed that rioters who attacked Ganesha processions were arrested, a statement which allegedly misrepresented an incident from Bangalore as occurring in Nagamangala. Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok also faced legal action for his comments on slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad” being raised, prompting Karandlaje to intensify her criticism of the state government.

The Union Minister’s remarks have added to the mounting political tension in Karnataka, with opposition leaders accusing the Siddaramaiah government of using FIRs and legal actions as tools of suppression.