Shivakumar accuses BJP of misusing Hindutva
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday accused BJP of using Hindutva for political purposes and alleged that money and materials donated for Ram Temple were misused, while attacking Union Government’s Ujjwala scheme over rise in LPG prices.
Speaking at the Congress office here during an event where some former BJP leaders joined the party, Shivakumar said Congress believed in serving people irrespective of their caste or religion. “Some people do this theatrically in the name of religion,” he said.
“They took the money meant for Rama and misappropriated it. You sent bricks from here, you sent money, and they misused it. We will not do that.” Shivakumar said Congress’ welfare schemes were meant for people across communities and accused the BJP of unnecessarily criticising the party’s five guarantees.
“Five guarantees? The BJP people are the ones who criticise them. They are the ones who say they are impossible. What, are only Congress people getting the benefit of the five guarantees?” he asked.
He said the Congress Government was providing free electricity to 1.64 crore families, Gruha Lakshmi assistance to 1.21 crore women and Anna Bhagya benefits to 4.40 crore people.
Attacking the Ujjwala scheme, Shivakumar said the BJP-led Government had projected it as a measure to reduce the burden on poor women but LPG prices had subsequently risen.
“They brought the Ujjwala scheme and said they would reduce the burden. They put the Prime Minister’s photographs everywhere, including at petrol pumps. What happened? The price went from `400 to `1,200,” he said.
Shivakumar also claimed that several states had subsequently adopted welfare measures similar to those introduced by Congress Governments in Karnataka.
“Now they copied us in Maharashtra, copied us in Madhya Pradesh, in Rajasthan, in Bihar, and now Trump is copying us,” he said, referring to US President Donald Trump. “This is the strength of the Congress party. The entire world is watching our Constitution today,” he added.