BJP leaders spreading false messages, alleges Belagavi MLA

Belagavi MLA and Congress candidate from Belagavi north Firoze Sait has alleged that some BJP leaders had spread false messages that his supporters were raising anti-national slogans.

At a hurriedly convened press conference in Belagavi on Wednesday, he said he had strong suspicions that some BJP leaders were behind the video that had been widely shared on social media on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

“Some local TV channels and web portals had carried bits of a video clip that is going around. The crowd is shouting ‘Azimbhai Patawegar Zindabad.’ But BJP workers are falsely claiming that they are chanting ‘Pakistan Zindabad.’ I know who are behind this. I will file a complaint against them,” he said. “Let the inquiries reveal who is responsible for this and let the offenders be punished,’’ he said. He will file complaints with the Belagavi police, Karnataka police cyber cell and the Election Commission of India.

“The BJP is using dirty tricks to fight elections. It knows that it is not doing well in Belagavi. That is its leaders are stooping so low,’’ he said. “Members of all castes and religions are with me. Belagavi has remained peaceful in the 10 years that I have been representing it in the Assembly. Some people are not comfortable with this. They are trying to disrupt peace and cause damage,’’ he said. “Those who take the name of our enemy nation repeatedly are BJP leaders and not us,’’ he responded to a question.

He denied allegations by Belagavi Mayor Basappa Chikkaladinni and some members that he was interfering in the functioning of the city corporation. “I have got additional funds released for Belagavi by pleading with Chief Minister Siddharamaiah. Otherwise, the funds received by the city corporation were very less and were not enough even for removing garbage. The extra funds I got were used for development activities including construction of playgrounds and stadiums, gardens and parks, glass houses, and other facilities,” Mr. Sait said.

Asked why other senior leaders were not campaigning for him, he said he was not worried about anything as “the people of Belagavi were with him.”