Contemporary fault strains have surfaced within the Karnataka Congress with a number of legislators elevating a pink flag over Deputy Chief Minister D Ok Shivakumar reciting strains from the RSS anthem within the Meeting. He recited them throughout mild banter on August 21, when Chief of the Opposition R Ashoka talked in regards to the Congress chief’s previous affiliation with the RSS. Former minister Ok N Rajanna mentioned that Shivakumar may get away with something.
Public Works Division Minister Satish Jarkiholi put the onus for motion on the Congress excessive command and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, whereas MLC B Ok Hariprasad mentioned he would have sought an apology from Shivakumar if he had recited the strains in his capability because the celebration’s state chief.
Replying to media queries, Jarkiholi mentioned on Monday, “At our stage, we can not decide or come to a conclusion,” he mentioned.
Requested if Shivakumar’s act was not in battle with the stance of Rahul Gandhi, the chief of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Jarkiholi mentioned, “Some points don’t attain him. There needs to be an try to make it possible for he learns about it.”
Jarkiholi’s remarks, nevertheless, got here a day after he appeared to defend Shivakumar. “I can also sing (the RSS anthem). However will they make me CM? No,” the minister then mentioned, including that one can not oppose everybody on a regular basis and that it was not proper to say Shivakumar would be a part of the BJP simply because he recited strains from the anthem. “It’s not fallacious, he is aware of it… We should always at all times have counter-intelligence,” he mentioned.
Noting that RSS was banned thrice prior to now, MLC Hariprasad mentioned that it was not fallacious to sing the anthem in Shivakumar’s capability as deputy chief minister, as a result of he represented folks from diverse backgrounds.
“However as KPCC president, he mustn’t say that. If he had mentioned in order KPCC president, he ought to apologise,”
Hariprasad mentioned, arguing that it was not proper to sing the anthem of an organisation “that killed Mahatma Gandhi”. “I don’t know to whom he needs to please and ship a message to,” he mentioned.
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Rajanna, who needed to stop as a minister after blaming the Congress Authorities for the lapses within the electoral rolls that led to the alleged “vote theft” in Karnataka throughout the Lok Sabha polls, advised reporters, “He can recite the RSS tune, share the dais with (Union minister) Amit Shah at an occasion of Sadhguru… He can attend the Ambani marriage ceremony the place even Rahul Gandhi determined to not go.” He added that the celebration would take the appropriate choice on the proper time.
Priyank Kharge’s reminder ‘for each patriot’
Including to the dialogue was a cryptic submit on X by Info Know-how and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge. Calling the RSS a “poisonous organisation”, he mentioned that leaders comparable to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had warned folks in regards to the organisation.
“The RSS, which didn’t settle for the Structure and burnt its draft, which doesn’t respect the nationwide flag, and which has an agenda of treating girls and the oppressed as third-class residents, is just not solely an enemy of the Congress but additionally the best enemy of the unity of this nation. Each patriot should hold this in thoughts,” he wrote within the submit within the early hours of Sunday.
Shivakumar’s singing the RSS anthem triggered speculations about his having his eyes set on Siddaramaiah’s chair. Allegations of “mushy Hindutva” practised by some Congress leaders additionally surfaced. Shivakumar later clarified that he was a “born Congressman” and mentioned, “We now have to study good qualities from everybody.”
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‘A melodious tune’
Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a supporter of Shivakumar, sang the anthem once more and referred to as it a melodious tune. “After DK Sir spoke about it, I learn in regards to the tune. It asks to bow to the land you’re born in. So I didn’t discover something fallacious… We’re a secular celebration. From all folks and events, we’ve got to just accept the great issues,” he mentioned on Sunday, including that he opposed the BJP’s right-wing ideology, which he termed divisive.
“Our ideology and their ideology will not be aligned, and there’s no compromise on this. However I need to ask what’s fallacious in mentioning what’s there within the RSS,” Rangnath mentioned.