AICC general secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal’s social media post on Saturday led to a political exchange with the BJP attacking the Congress, even as Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar defended his party leader’s post as “advice” and not interference in administration.
“It is a matter of serious concern as to who the people of Karnataka actually elected,” BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra said on social media platform ‘X’. “This goes beyond political hypocrisy. It is a direct affront to the people of Karnataka, who voted for a government in Bengaluru, not for an invisible authority issuing commands from Delhi”.
Questioning Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar, he asked: “After passionately defending the government’s actions in Kogilu village and sermonising on X to the Kerala Chief Minister, will you show the same courage and address that message to your AICC boss K.C. Venugopal?”
Former Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwathnarayan said that the CPI (M) and Congress are in a race to appease Muslim voters. Though demolitions of illegal structures happened in Revenue Minister Krishna Bhyregowda’s constituency, he has been quiet, he said. “On the other hand, people with legal documents are running around the posts for e-khatas,” he added.
However, defending the post, Mr. Shivakumar told reporters on Sunday that Mr. Venugopal had no more than advised, demanding to know if BJP’s central leaders offer advice to State leaders. Ours is a national party and all of us have our responsibilities”.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has convened a meeting on Monday to discuss the Kogilu Layout demolition issue. He said that the administration had made initial inquiries and found that an individual had taken money and asked people to construct sheds on the government land. He said that the eligible and local families that were removed from illegal encroachment would be rehabilitated under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing project.
Meanwhile, Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, accompanied by Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Naseer Ahmed, visited the demolition site on Sunday. While criticising the CPI (M) delegation visiting the site to make political gains, he said that the State government would give a “good news” after the meeting on Monday.