Meanwhile, Malur MLA KY Nanjegowda has demanded disciplinary action against senior Congress leader and Karnataka MLC BK Hariprasad.
Published Sep 11, 2023 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 11, 2023 | 8:00 AM
Congress veteran and MLC BK Hariprasad terms consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir as political event in Bengaluru on Wednesday. (supplied)
Senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad made some remarks, aimed at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other leaders of the party, expressing discontent over its selections for the chief minister and deputy chief minister positions.
He also pointed at the party’s failure to appoint either Dalit leader and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara or Scheduled Tribe (ST) leader and Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi as the deputy chief minister.
Hariprasad, currently an MLC in Karnataka, came down heavily on his own party while addressing a massive gathering during a Backward Classes (BC) convention at the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru on Saturday, 9 September.
It was not the first time Hariprasad was found attacking the chief minister and leaders of his own party. He is said to be upset at the party high command for not considering him for a position in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet.
He also alleged that BCs, minorities, and Dalits had not been given key positions in the government despite their efforts to bring back the Congress to power in Karnataka.
Hariprasad launched a scathing critique directed squarely at Siddaramaiah, sparing no punches in his address. He vehemently underscored the importance of authentic socialist values while scrutinising Siddaramaiah.
Addressing the huge gathering, Hariprasad, who hails from the Billava community, said, “Merely donning a dhoti, a Hublot watch (in reference to Siddaramaiah’s previous expensive watch controversy), and khaki shorts (associated with the RSS) doesn’t make one a true socialist. You can’t simply become Devaraj Urs, a celebrated former chief minister and champion of backward classes, by riding in his car. The essence lies in practising his values and principles.”
He added: “If someone believes that he has formed government and thinks he can govern according to his whims and fancies, the people will ultimately make their judgement.”
Alleging that Dalits and OBCs were not given proper political representation in the Karnataka Cabinet, he said: “Consider the case of Dr Parameshwara, who served as KPCC president for a long period and was well-qualified to be the chief minister. Yet, instead of elevating him to the chief minister’s role, the party demoted him to a minister.”
He further said: “A similar situation unfolded with Minister for Public Works Satish Jarkiholi. At the very least, he could have been appointed as deputy chief minister. This shows that the party wants the votes of Dalits and OBCs, but does not want to give them proper political representation. The BJP has paid the price for a similar attitude towards these communities.”
While addressing the BC communities, Hariprasad called for internal reservations for OBCs in the Congress, based on the caste census data.
Levelling more accusations against Siddaramaiah, he said: “The then Backward Classes Commission chairman Kantharaj was ready to hand over the census report. He (Siddaramaiah) refused to accept it. He did so out of concern that his community, the Kurubas, might suffer as a result.”
He continued: “I express gratitude to Siddaramaiah for not appointing me as a minister. If I had been given such a position, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to connect with you all and support your causes.”
“Don’t be mistaken; I have no aspirations to become a minister or chief minister in this government. My objective is to empower smaller communities.”
Taking exception to the Hariprasad’s statements targeting Siddaramaiah, Congress MLA KY Nanjegowda demanded disciplinary action against the senior leader.
Nanjegowda told reporters in Kolar: “I was not expecting such a statement from Hariprasad because he has enjoyed all kinds of power and positions in the party. His statements amount to anti-party activities and damage the party’s image. The Congress has come to power because of the efforts of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. What is Hariprasad’s contribution to the party?”
However, the party has not yet initiated any disciplinary action, nor served notice to Hariprasad over his statements during the BC convention.
Meanwhile, several Cabinet ministers refrained from commenting on Hariprasad’s statements when approached by reporters.
Parameshwara told reporters: “I express my gratitude to Hariprasad for talking about me with such high respect. I don’t know in what context he has made such statements. The party will take a final call on appointing the chief minister.
“It opted for Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar as the leader and deputy leader, respectively. The government is operating smoothly. I have no idea why he made such statements.”
