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Journalism of Courage
Addressing a BJP workers’ convention here Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that in the coming Assembly elections in Karnataka, the people need to choose between Prime Minister Narendra Modi who built the Ram Temple at Ayodhya and developed Kashi, Kedarnath and Badrinath, and “those who glorify Tipu Sultan”, between those who are with “the tukde-tukde gang” and those who are “with patriots”.
Shah also asserted that the BJP would return to power on its own strength. Ruling out any alliance with anyone, he continued his attacks against the Congress and JD(S), saying they were cut from the same cloth.
“On the one hand, there is Prime Minister Modi, who has developed Ayodhya, Kashi, Kedarnath and Badrinath. On the other hand, there are people who glorify Tipu. People of the state have to choose between the two,” he said.
Shah added that the Congress sought out the support of the “tukde tukde gang”, while the BJP was banking on its organisation in the state. “People of Karnataka have to decide whether they want to be with the patriots or with those who want India to be in pieces,” he said.
Seeking “one term with full majority for the BJP”, Shah said the party would put an end to family politics, corruption and casteism in the state. “We will form a patriotic government.”
He dismissed speculation of a triangular fight in Karnataka, saying that it was a straight contest (between the BJP and Congress). “A vote for the JD(S) is a vote for the Congress,” he said, claiming that the two may be opposed to each other prior to polls but would readily strike a compromise post-elections to keep out the BJP.
The Union minister gave the example of the 2018 Assembly elections, when the Congress and JD(S) had formed a post-poll coalition and a government, which was later toppled by the BJP. JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy had gone and “sat in the Congress’s lap”, Shah said.
In a dig at the JD(S), he said that parties which win 30-35 seats and resort to blackmail should not be allowed to survive for long. “Their dues have to be settled soon.”
Before the BJP projected Tipu Sultan as essentially a “Muslim” ruler, and held him responsible for the killing of Hindus in Kodagu and Mandya districts, the 17th-century king was considered the ‘Tiger of Mysore’ who had valiantly fought the British. In fact, BJP leaders such as B S Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar, R Ashok and P C Mohan had been photographed in the past flaunting a headgear and sword akin to Tipu’s.
Post-2014 though, as the BJP hard lines sharpened in the wake of Narendra Modi’s rise, the party distanced itself from Tipu and now leaves to chance to attack the Opposition over the issue. The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s announcement of a Tipu Jayanthi also gave it a handle to attack the party.
While Tipu Jayanthi is not observed in the state since the BJP replaced the Congress in power, the B R Bommai government recently renamed ‘Salam Arathi’ and ‘Deevatige Salaam’, rituals started by Tipu in famous temples during his reign.
Addressing the party meeting, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel announced two campaigns in the coming month — Booth Vijay Abhiyan from January 2 to 12, and Vijay Sankalp Abhiyaan from January 21 to 29.
