K’taka BJP stages protest; accuses Congress of ‘conspiring to undermine’ democracy

Kolar: The BJP on Tuesday staged a protest march in Kolar under the "Save Democracy, Eradicate Anarchy" slogan, accusing the Congress and its leaders of attempting to undermine democratic institutions and create unrest in the country.

Addressing the march, BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party were unable to tolerate the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"We are creating awareness among people against such anti-national forces," he said.

Vijayendra said the NDA government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had returned to power at the Centre for the third consecutive term. However, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi were attempting to create anarchy across the country, he alleged.

He accused the Congress of trying to destabilise the Central government and creating unrest through protests in Delhi. He further alleged that attempts had been made to create similar unrest in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and France.

He said Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercises had been conducted several times in the country, but the Congress lacked confidence in the SIR process and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). He also alleged that the party did not have faith in the Supreme Court.

Vijayendra announced that the protest march would continue in Chitradurga on Wednesday.

Former Chief Minister and BJP Parliamentary Board member B.S. Yediyurappa, addressing the gathering, accused the Congress of conspiring to undermine the democratic system.

He said the BJP had launched the campaign to counter the alleged conspiracy of the Congress. Expressing confidence about the party's electoral prospects, Yediyurappa said the BJP and JD(S) would jointly form an NDA government in Karnataka after the next Assembly elections.

Alleging that corruption was rampant and development works had come to a standstill under the Congress government, he criticised the repeated increase in the prices of milk and other essential commodities.

People were finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the situation, he said, appealing to party workers to strengthen the organisation and work towards bringing a BJP-led government to power with a clear majority in Karnataka.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka also criticised the Congress, alleging that the government was failing to deliver development while resorting to protests against EVMs and SIR despite losing elections in several places.

Speaking to reporters during the BJP's Save Democracy campaign, Ashoka alleged that the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and what he termed the "cockroach party" had joined hands to create political instability in the country.

He said the Congress was attempting to capture power by undermining democratic institutions, but such efforts would not yield any results.

"It is the habit of the Congress to remain silent when it wins elections using EVMs and question the machines when it loses. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself had introduced the voting machine system," he said.

Ashoka claimed that even if elections were held in Karnataka immediately, the Congress would suffer a complete defeat.

He further alleged that the state government did not even have enough funds to lay a single pan of tar on roads, adding that the Congress would lose elections because it fails to govern and not because of EVMs.

He said the BJP had launched the Save Democracy campaign in response to the Congress's protests against EVMs and SIR.

BJP Karnataka in-charge Harish Dwivedi, former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, Leaders of Opposition in the Assembly and Legislative Council R. Ashoka and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former Minister Byrathi Basavaraj, former Deputy Chief Minister Dr C.N. Ashwath Narayan, former MP Muniswamy, former MLC Narayanaswamy, district president Om Shakti Chalapathi, State Yuva Morcha president and MLA Dheeraj Muniraju, former MLA Varthur Prakash and other party leaders were present.

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