Lashes out at move to form Ministerial panel on religion tag for Lingayats
Former Chief Minister and JD (S) President H.D. Kumaraswamy has lashed out at the State government for constituting a team of five Cabinet Ministers to elicit opinion on the contentious issue of seeking a separate religion tag for Lingayats.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Tuesday, Mr. Kumaraswamy said it was a wanton move of the Congress under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to sway and divide the people on emotional issues for electoral gains. “It smacks of a low and debased electoral tactic of the Congress.”
Instead of focussing on redressing farmers’ issues and drought unfolding in the State, the Congress is focused on dividing the society and the State along religious lines, said Mr. Kumaraswamy. “Mr.Siddaramaiah is out to divide the society and is sowing the poisonous seeds of religious disharmony purely with an eye on the Assembly elections slated to be held in less than an year’s time”, he alleged.
Expressing concern that the move could set a trend, Mr. Kumaraswamy said similar demands may emerge from other groups as well and hence the State government’s move was fraught with danger.
He criticised the Chief Minister for “failing to protect the interest of the farmers of Karnataka’’ and accused him of “harbouring the interest of farmers of Tamil Nadu.’. ‘’Though Karnataka was facing drought for the third consecutive year, the accumulated water in the reservoirs is being discharged for the benefit of Tamil Nadu farmers instead of being released to the canals to facilitate Karnataka farmers to save the standing crops.”
This exposes the Congress’ commitment towards upholding the interest of State farmers, said Mr. Kumaraswamy.