BENGALURU: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday called for a review of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and antiquated laws that are being misused for political reasons.“During a play enacted at a school in Bidar, some charges were made against the Prime Minister. How can that amount to sedition,” he asked, referring to the police arresting the mother of a school student and a school teacher for enacting the play criticising the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

“The police have taken action deliberately and acted on the directions of the BJP government. It is unconstitutional, undemocratic and highhanded. In fact, there needs to be a review of the IPC, which was framed over a century ago,” said the Opposition leader in the assembly, during an interaction at The New Indian Express office in Bengaluru.“By the same yardstick, previous governments would have had to arrest playwright and actor Master Hirannaiah (a well-known artiste) who abused governments and politicians of the day in a filthy language on several occasions,” he said.

“The Congress is the only party that cares about the downtrodden, while the BJP is a party for the haves,” he said. Asked why decisions are delayed in the Congress, he said it is because the party believes in inner democracy and freedom.

“For example, no one asked me to submit a list of ministers to the High Command for any approval, as it is being done by the present government. I had a free hand,” he said.
Asked about the KPCC president’s post which is lying vacant even after 2 months, he said, “I have given my opinion to the central leadership. What opinion I have given to the High Command I am not going to share with you (laughs).”

On the stupendous AAP victory in Delhi, he said that it was expected as the people had decided to defeat the BJP and everyone was talking about AAP victory. “But AAP cannot succeed in Karnataka as caste is important here. In Delhi, which is a cosmopolitan city, caste was not an issue and AAP did well. The party did not fare well during the last elections in the state,” he said.

On the BJP government in Karnataka, he said it is in power without the people’s mandate. “This government is running only on promises, and there is no development because there are no funds. The government has to grapple with a shortage of funds because of a shortfall of Rs 30,000 crore, which includes devolution of funds of Rs 9,000 crore,” said Siddaramaiah, who has presented 13 state budgets.
He said that Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had kept 16 portfolios with him till recently. “How could he have done justice to all those departments? They were all asleep for six months.”

He said that the people have not given the mandate to the BJP. Seventeen legislators (from the previous ruling JDS-Congress coalition) left and joined the BJP. If they were service-minded, they would have remained with their respective parties, he added.He said that the CM allocated the portfolios and revised them within 24 hours. “13 districts have gone unrepresented. Yediyurappa does not have any control over his MLAs,” he added.On the issue of reservation, he said that it is a fundamental right. He recalled how an ordinance brought out by his government on a reservation in promotions was upheld by the Supreme Court.