Mysuru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D. K. Shivakumar on Thursday September 15 slammed BJP for criticising his party’s Bharat Jodo yatra. Speaking to mediapersons here, he said, “We don’t need BJP’s guidance. We may have lost a couple of elections but it does not mean there are differences in the party. Mahatma Gandhi is our inspiration. We are least worried if someone criticises us. There is certainly reward for hard work.”
Speaking about the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he said, “I have spoken to my party workers on what should be done. We would like to involve everyone. We have taken up the task of uniting the country. Rahul Gandhi is shouldering the responsibility. I will be visiting Badanavalu and Adi Chunchanagiri. We will be holding a mega convention in Ballari and I expect many of our national leaders to be part of it.”
“The State Government is trying to blackmail us in the name of a probe. This government is trying to scare me and Congress. I am not scared of anyone, they can probe anything. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai can order a detailed probe. Why did they take so long to initiate an investigation against us,” Shivakumar said.
On the tabling of the Anti-Conversion Bill in the Legislative Council, the Congress leader said, “What was the need to table it when nothing was happening in the State? BJP is doing it for the sake of publicity. Their move is to scare minorities. BJP is out to divide the country into communal lines. They are trying to appease Hindus to please the party High Command.”
Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Badanavalu in Nanjangud Taluk on October 2. Mahatma Gandhi visited the centre in 1927.
Rural Congress president Dr. B. J. Vijaykumar, MLC Ravi, KPCC Working President R. Dhruvanarayan, former MLC Kalale Krishnamurthy and others were present.
