Bengaluru: Let Congress name hookah bar after Jawaharlal Nehru, says CT Ravi

BENGALURU: BJP national general secretary CT Ravi courted controversy on Thursday by asking the Congress to open a hookah bar at its head office in Bengaluru and name it after former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Ravi, who was speaking on the “renaming” controversy behind Indira Canteens in the state, said the Siddaramaiah-government had chosen the name for political reasons. “If they want to do politics, then let them open a bar, a hookah bar, in their office and rename it as Nehru Hookah bar. We cannot entertain politics when it comes to public spaces,” he said.
The former minister had started a debate on renaming Indira Canteens as Annapoorneshwari canteens, soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced renaming of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awards to Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna awards.
Ravi also tweeted that the Gandhis had renamed almost all public spaces, except public toilets, in the country. “...The only place where the names of the Nehru dynasty are missing are public toilets. Why aren’t Congress governments naming them?” he asked.
Congress hits back
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said the Chikkamagaluru MLA has absolutely no knowledge of history and the sacrifices made by Nehru during the freedom struggle.
“Ravi is a national general secretary for the BJP and should be responsible when he speaks about someone. We cannot, and will never speak ill of leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani. Ravi needs to study history and accord respect,” he said.
KPCC president DK Shivakumar said Ravi’s statements showed his and his party’s culture. “Let Ravi ask his leaders as to who mooted the name and agreed upon it. It was only after consulting BJP leaders and getting their signatures that the name of Indira Canteen was finalised,” he said.