Karnataka hate speech Bill not returned, Governor has neither rejected nor approved it: Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said here on Sunday (January 11, 2025) that Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has not returned Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill.

The Governor has neither rejected nor approved the Bill, he said.

Speaking to press persons before leaving for Bengaluru after winding up his programmes scheduled in Mangaluru on January 10 evening, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that the Governor will be explained about the Bill if he seeks an explanation.

To questions, the Chief Minister said that removing banners displayed in connection with the inauguration of the statue of Maharshi Valmiki was the reason for the recent clashes between BJP and Congress workers in Ballari. “Why was there a need to remove the banners ?” he asked.

Since BJP leaders G. Janardhana Reddy and B. Sriramulu are not enjoying political power now, they are exhibiting their jealousy in the matter related to clashes, the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Siddaramaiah questioned BJP’s move to take out a padayatra from Ballari to Bengaluru on January 17 to condemn the clashes.

The Chief Minister said that the Congress took out its 320-km padayatra from Bengaluru to Ballari in August 2010, targeting the then ruling BJP on illegal mining and corruption. It was in protest against the Reddy brothers treating Ballari as their personal fiefdom and the then Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa not reining them in.

The CM said that the Congress had launched the padayatra under the banner ‘Ballari Chalo’ after accepting the challenge thrown by Janardhana Reddy and Karunakara Reddy and their close associate and minister R. Sriramulu in the Assembly, who had dared the party to step into their home district, and asked “Why is BJP is taking out padayatra now?”

Mr. Siddaramaiah denied that there is a tussle for power (for Chief Minister’s position) in the Congress. “It is all creation of media,” he said.