'Siddaramaiah govt withdrew cases against PFI': BJP steps up poster war against Congress

In Karnataka, the poster war between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress has intensified with the saffron party launching poster titled "PFI Bhagya" against the Grand Old Party, claiming that the then Siddaramaiah-led government withdrew cases against PFI workers.

On Monday, Karnataka Revenue Minister and BJP leader R Ashoka launched the "PFI Bhagya" poster campaign against Karnataka Congress and Siddaramaiah stating that the Congress government withdrew cases that were filed against 1,600 PFI workers while in power in the state.

Notably, the phrase "PFI Bhagya" on the poster is a pun on the many welfare programmes Siddaramaiah's administration introduced while in power as the majority of them had the term "Bhagya" (welfare) in their names.

BJP launches "PFI Bhagya" campaign against Siddaramaiah

Launching a fresh attack on the Congress party as well as former CM Siddaramaiah, Ashoka said, "When the BJP was in power in July 2009, 175 cases were filed against 1,600 PFI and KFD (Karnataka Forum for Dignity) workers for rioting in Shivamogga and Mysuru," PTI reported.

The Minister said the Siddaramaiah government ordered the withdrawal of the 175 cases in 2015 despite the opinions of the Director General of Police and Law Secretary to the contrary. Ashoka also noted that Congress MLA Tanveer Sait had written to the government in December 2012 asking for the withdrawal of cases claiming the accused were innocent. The Bommai Minister also released some documents to support his claims that the previous Congress government had withdrawn cases against the PFI workers.

The BJP leader even demanded an apology from Congress leaders, including Siddaramiah, for having committed the mistake of withdrawing cases against the PFI.

It is pertinent to mention that recently Karnatka Congress attacked the Bommai government by starting the "PayCM" campaign against the alleged corruption charged against the state government. Upon scanning the 'PayCM' QR code, one was directed to www.40percentsarkara.com- a website launched by the Congress party on September 13 as a part of its '40% government, BJP means corruption' campaign. 

(With inputs from PFI)