Under the BJP rule, fear and favour have replaced freedom and facts. Independent voices are harassed, and labelled anti-national, Siddaramaiah said.
Published Apr 09, 2025 | 6:45 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 09, 2025 | 6:45 PM
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
Synopsis: Speaking at the AICC session in Ahmedabad, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the Waqf board issue was a manufactured distraction from real issues. “India doesn’t need more walls, it needs more bridges. We are proud Hindus but we reject Hindutva,” he said.
Launching a broadside against the BJP for promoting ‘One Nation, One Culture, and One Party’, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said India’s real strength lies in its diversity.
Speaking at the AICC session on the banks of the Sabarmati in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad on Wednesday, 9 April, Siddaramaiah asserted that “India’s strength has never come from uniformity: It comes from solidarity amidst diversity”.
“The BJP is pushing for ‘One Nation, One Culture, One Party’. NEET has dismantled inclusive state-level education. UGC and NEP reforms centralise education, ignoring the needs of the states,” he said.
The chief minister further stated that local languages, identities, and legacies were being undermined. “One size doesn’t fit all. But that’s what the BJP is forcing. Congress believes in a federal India where every region, every culture matters.”
Siddaramaiah termed the AICC’s Ahmedabad session a movement of hope. “Congress is not here for power. We are here to reclaim India’s soul. We shaped India’s destiny earlier. We will do it again, with courage, clarity, and compassion. BJP is attacking the soul of our Republic,” he said.
“Farmers, women, youth, Dalits and minorities have been betrayed. Fear has replaced freedom. Propaganda has replaced performance,” Siddaramaiah added.
Siddramaiah further stressed that the greatest threat to India now was constitutional.
“The BJP is dismantling the Republic’s very architecture. Institutions like the Election Commission, Enforcement Directorate, CBI, and Parliament are being misused to crush dissent. Governors are weaponised to destabilise non-BJP state governments. The BJP chants Bharat Mata Ki Jai while emptying Bharat’s spirit. Congress will defend the Constitution — not just as law, but as the lifeblood of our democracy,” he said.
The chief minister pointed out how the media, too, was being targeted.
“These days, media houses face intimidation and financial strangulation. Journalism must shape the nation’s conscience — not the ruling party’s image. India doesn’t need a media that flatters power. It needs a media that questions it. Under the BJP rule, fear and favour have replaced freedom and facts. Independent voices are harassed, and labelled anti-national,” he said.
Siddaramaiah criticised how propaganda by Hindutva forces has been poisoning young minds.
“The Waqf board issue is a manufactured distraction from real issues. India doesn’t need more walls, it needs more bridges. We are proud Hindus but we reject Hindutva,” he said.
“Technology is being misused to divide and distort. Social media is flooded with hate and fear campaigns. However, Congress stands for unity, truth, and an India built on compassion and understanding,” he added.
The chief minister further spoke on the five guarantees that have changed lives across Karnataka.
“Karnataka has admitted the highest number of children in residential schools. The UN General Assembly’s president praised Karnataka’s model for empowering women. We have spent ₹65,000 crore on education and ₹72,000 crore on infrastructure development. The state has been declared Naxal-free through development, and not force.”
Siddaramaiah also said that Karnataka is a leader in solar energy, green economy, and water recycling.
Siddaramaiah said that Congress celebrates diversity in the Indian way and the constitutional way.
“BJP’s push for uniformity threatens India’s pluralistic soul. From Kashmir to Kanniyakumari, India speaks many languages. Federalism is the foundation of justice, not a hurdle to nation-building. A child learning in Kannada or Malayalam is as Indian as the one learning in Hindi or English,” he said,
Siddaramiah assured that the party is not only ready for elections but also to rebuild the Republic.
“Our karyakartas are our backbone. We want to empower youth, booth-level leaders, and women. We want to blend ideology with innovation and combine listening with leadership. This is our movement to lead not just politically but morally and socially,” he added.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
