Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar has ridiculed the idea mooted by the state’s BJP government to build a Ram Temple in Karnataka. In an exclusive interview to News18, Shivakumar said there is no trace of any connection between Ram and Ramdevarabetta, the proposed site for the “majestic” Ram Temple.
Presenting the latest budget, the last before Karnataka goes to polls in a few months, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had announced the allocation of Rs 425 crore towards building a “majestic” Rama Mandira (temple in Kannada) along the lines of the Ram Mandir being built in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.
“Where are they going to build the Ram Mandira? They (BJP) are trying to woo people emotionally. Go and ask the people of Ramanagara, where is the Ram Mandir there… whether Rama was born there, whether Sita or Anjaneya were born there. There is no history there, but there is a small Ram Temple. Let them build anything, it will not affect us politically,” Shivakumar told News18 as he officially started his Prajadhwani Yatra.
Bommai’s announcement came after several senior BJP leaders wrote to him seeking the constitution of a temple development committee that would plan and execute the building of the Ram Temple at Ramadevarabetta in Ramanagara district, which is known to be a stronghold of the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress.
With an allocation of Rs 425 crore, the BJP plans to make Ramadevarabetta the ‘Ayodhya of the South’ that will span over 19 acres.
The Karnataka Congress chief added that there are a ‘few local ministers and leaders who want to create communal disturbance” in the region and are, hence, making this demand. Shivakumar also went on to challenge Bommai to build a BJP office in Ramnagara first before thinking of building a Ram Temple.
“Let Mr. Bommai ask his leaders to build a BJP office there. For the Congress, the Congress office is a temple. Let them build a BJP office there first and then Ram Mandir,” Shivakumar said.
As he began the first leg of his bus-bound Prajadhwani Yatra towards Mysuru, the senior Congress leader spoke of how the winds of change are blowing in favour of the Congress. Having set a target of 135-plus seats to be won in the upcoming elections, Shivakumar believes that after this special yatra — undertaken by him from the northern side of Karnataka and by Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah from the southern side — the Congress will be able to add more seats to its kitty.
“It is now 141 seats. 136 was my prediction, but now after this yatra, we will add five more at least… People want to send this BJP government away after 50 days. The countdown has started… in the next 50 days, you will have a new Congress government,” he said.
On the issue of inflation and handling the Covid-19 pandemic, Shivakumar spoke of the BJP’s “inefficiency” in controlling price rise. He added that lakhs of people lost their lives during the pandemic, “but the BJP used PM Modi’s face as a marketing gimmick on vaccination certificates” to popularise him as a leader.
“Those who were affected by Covid and admitted to hospitals were promised that their medical bills will be reimbursed. Those who died, did not get a certificate. You gave a certification of vaccination with the PM’s photo, why not a death certificate with the PM’s photo as well? In Karnataka, more than 4.5 lakh people died, you could have given death certificates with the PM’s photo as well,” Shivakumar said.
Asked what is clicking in favour of the Congress, Shivakumar said it was the failure of the BJP to deliver on promises to the people, both from the manifesto as well as the budget. He believes that only Congress can restore the glory of Karnataka and Bangalore.
“The BJP has no vision and its ministers are constantly fighting. You see the tears of Yediyurappa, why did he resign? What made him resign? These are the questions in the eyes of the public. We want to restore the glory of Karnataka, we want to restore the glory of Bangalore, give a clean administration, a government with good governance because every common man has been pickpocketed, prices are in the sky and income is at the bottom,” the Congress leader said.
Questioned how the BJP’s stand that the upcoming election will be one between Savarkar and Tipu will affect the outcome, the state Congress chief reacted by saying: “The BJP is looking at churning up emotions, while the Congress is looking to fill the stomachs of the people.”
He went on to say that BJP actually stood for ‘Brashtachaar (corruption) Janata Party’.
“Why did Bommai arrest all those who put up PayCM posters, including me and Siddaramaiah? BJP stands for Brashtachaar Janata Party wherein the ‘B’ stands for bramandh brashtachaar (absolute corruption),” he said.
The Congress has been, of late, harping on the BS Yediyurappa factor and how he was “insulted and side-lined” by the BJP. It has even reached out to the people, especially the Lingayat community, saying their tallest leader Yediyurappa was ill-treated by the BJP and that it will not happen if they support the Congress.
“They have packed him up and silenced him. The BJP knows now that they cannot sell his face anymore, which is why they got Bommai. Amit Shah said Bommai will lead the state, now he says they will fight the election in Modiji’s name. That means they are fighting an election without a leader,” Shivkuamr said, attacking the ruling party in the state.
On the question of infighting within the Congress and who would be the chief ministerial face of the party, the KPCC president made it clear that he will follow what the Congress high command says.
“There is no fight. Whatever the high command says, we will go by it. The high command has said that with (Mallikarjun) Kharge’s leadership, DK Shivakumar’s leadership, Siddaramaiah’s leadership … collective leadership… we will all work together and bring a Congress government,” he told News18.
Replying to a question about pressure from the Lingayat community for maximum tickets and a Lingayat leader as the CM if Congress wins, Shivakumar said the party will take all leaders and communities into confidence.
“Social justice must be maintained, winnability is important. Who all wins will be our priority,” he said in the interview.
Asked if JD-S will be a factor in this election and whether the Congress would align with the party if it falls short of the magic number, a confident Karnataka Congress chief brushed aside the possibility, saying: “We will form a government on our own.”
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