BJP chief rakes up K’taka CM’S ₹40L watch controversy

SHAH HAS TARGETED THE CONG GOVERNMENT OVER THE ALLEGED CORRUPTION IN HIS RALLIES AHEAD OF THE MAY 12 ASSEMBLY POLLS IN THE STATE

BENGALURU: BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday attacked Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah over the Hublot watch issue, alleging that funds disbursed by the central government were used by the chief minister for personal gains.

Addressing a rally in Hiriyur in Chitradurga district, Shah claimed that while the central government had increased the outlay of funds to the state government in accordance with the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, the money did not reach the people.

“From ~88,000 crore under the United Progressive Alliance government, we increased the funds disbursed to the state to around ~3 lakh crore,” Shah claimed and questioned if “any of this money has reached the people”.

Shah has repeatedly targeted the Congress government over the alleged corruption in his rallies ahead of the May 12 assembly polls in the state. On Sunday, he again accused the state government as the most corrupt.

“Siddaramaiah keeps accusing me of not giving any evidence to prove the charges of corruption. But I have only one question, does anybody present here have a watch worth ~40 lakh?”

He was referring to a Hublot watch Siddaramaiah reportedly used to sport before a controversy broke out. While the CM maintained that the watch was gifted to him, he later handed it over to the assembly Speaker in March 2016.

“To date, Siddaramaiah has been unable to tell me where he got the watch from and who gifted it to him,” Shah said.

Shah also held two road shows in Davanagere and Tumakuru. Congress spokespersons could not be reached for comments. LUCKNOW: A girl who had been sexually assaulted by her father’s friend walked on the HT Woman Awards stage without a veil on Sunday. “Why should victims be made to cover their faces? The law helps but more than legal justice, it is social acceptability that’s needed,” said Sakshi Vidyarthi, who said she has featured in a documentary on the story of her life and wants to appear in a film next. Hindustan Times is naming her on her request.

“The chief minister sir is in the audience. Sir, would you have been able to notice my pain had I sat in a corner, my face covered?” she asked Yogi Adityanath, who was the chief guest at the function. Vidyarthi was among several women who featured at the HT Woman Awards, each urging people to demolish conventional practices that seek to put women down.

The CM said the society needs to speak up against injustice.

Citing an incident from the epic Mahabharata about Draupadi being disrobed by the Kauravas, with several men remaining silent, he said: “At that time, too, Vidur had said that even those who remained silent would be considered guilty along with those who perpetrated the act.” He announced he had ordered the creation of three women battalions for better security.

“My government is striving to create a system where women

can walk back to their homes from airports, railway and bus stations at midnight without fear. That could be a yardstick (for women’s security),” Adityanath said.

The HT Woman Award was given to Mumbai-based Dr Roshan Jahan, who lost both her legs after being pushed out from a local train but she fought 90% disability and went on to clear medical examinations to prove to the

world that “nothing is impossible”. Originally from Azamgarh, she is the daughter of a vegetable vendor.

There was more to the function than the awards. There were survivors who are fighting a system that seeks to view them as the weaker sex. There were mothers who are helping rape survivors. And there were go-getters from police and army.

The mother of the December 16 Delhi gang rape victim emphasised the need for speedier punishment to culprits, and stressed the need to fight discrimination against women. Film director Anubhav Sinha, who also spoke at the event, said: “I feel that the root of the problem is when we tell a girl that you are ‘less than a boy’. Not just men, but women are equally to be blamed for this notion. We need to educate our sons on how to respect women.”