Congress always engaged in doing ‘mischievous’ acts against society, says JP Nadda in poll bound K'taka

BJP National President J P Nadda on Tuesday asserted that his party always stands for righteousness, while claiming that Congress is always doing something "mischievous" against the society.

Targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the earlier Congress government led by him, Nadda accused them of withdrawing cases against Popular Front of India (PFI) and Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) activists, by following their practice of appeasement politics.

"We (BJP) have tried to see to it that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there is a responsible government, a responsive government, a government which acts, a government which takes decisions, and a government which delivers," he said, addressing a gathering of intellectuals and professionals here.

He expressed happiness that in Karnataka too the budget presented by Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai focuses on women empowerment, encouragement to youth, strengthening of farmers and empowerment of labourers, and development of basic infrastructure.

"Ours is the party which is ideology based. We are consistent in our ideology, we are a cadre based party, and our party has got a mass following," he said, adding that the Congress believes in corruption, commission, division, divide and rule, vote bank and dynastic politics and they were the traits of that party.

Alleging that Praveen Nettaru (a young BJP worker) was killed by PFI killer squad, Nadda said, "today we all know PFI is a banned organisation, we all knew the activities of the PFI, but it is the contribution of Siddaramaiah that he withdrew 175 cases against PFI, while in power, and 1,600 PFI and KFD activists were released." "What does this mean? Why this appeasement? Why are you playing with the law and order situation? Because you believe in vote bank politics," he said.

Further questioning Siddaramaiah and Congress for speaking about corruption, the BJP President asked, "who removed or stopped the institution of Lokayukta?" "You will always find BJP is for righteousness, and the Congress party is always doing something mischievous against the society," he said, as he requested the people to support and strengthen his party.

Earlier in the day, the senior BJP leader visited Sringeri mutt established by Adi Shankaracharya and met Vidhushekhara Bharati, the junior pontiff of the historic and prestigious seminary.

BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, national general secretaries C T Ravi and Arun Singh, and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje were among others present at the event.

In his address, Nadda said whether it is the government at the Centre or in Karnataka, it is only the BJP, whose policies are pro poor, pro labourers, pro farmers and pro women.

Noting that India is third in power consumption and sixth in consumption of renewable power, he said, "during the Siddaramaiah or Congress regimes there used to be power cuts, but today there is 24 hours power supply. we have ensured that there is no power cut, in the same way you too ensure that there is no power cut for the BJP. It is your responsibility." Averring that nine years ago India's image was one of "policy paralysis, corruption, not having international say", Nadda claimed that now the country has a say in international affairs, it takes decisive policy decisions, it is a corruption free state and it is taking a big leap under the dynamic leadership of the Prime Minister.

India is growing as a strong economy, despite global challenges, he said while listing out the measures taken by the Modi administration for a stronger economy. "The country's GDP growth rate stands at 7.4 per cent, and we have overtaken the Britishers who ruled us for over 200 years to become the fifth largest economy in the world".

Assembly elections are due in the State by May.