Karnataka is just an ATM for Congress: Yogi
BENGALURU: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday accused the Congress of using Karnataka as an ATM to fund its activities while stalling development in the state.
Asking people to vote for BJP in Karnataka, Adityanath said to get the benefit of central schemes, “we need the same party in the state and the Centre”.
Accusing the Congress of being disconnected from development, he said: “This state is nothing more than an ATM for the Congress and it will use the state in this way.”
The UP CM was speaking at the Bengaluru leg of Parivartana Yatra rally, his second within three weeks. Planned by state BJP president and former Karnataka chief minister, B S Yeddyurappa, the rally aims to reach out to people in all the 224 constituencies of the state ahead of the assembly elections in May.
According to Adityanath, Karnataka, which was a model for development, has been held back by the Congress over the past five years.
“Under the leadership of [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi, the BJP has decided to develop the country. And, for schemes of development to reach the youth, farmers, and a city like Bengaluru, it is necessary to have a BJP government here. “In the whole country, people are voting the Congress out, like in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. If BJP has formed a government for the sixth time in Gujarat, its development is becoming a benchmark for India,” Yogi said.
Targeting Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah’s recent assertions of his Hindu identity and attacks against BJP for trying to claim Hinduism as its, Adityanath said, “[Siddaramaiah] has seen your strength and remembered Hindutva, like [Congress president] Rahul Gandhi remembered temples in Gujarat.”
The head of the Gorakhnath Math also held forth on the characteristics of Hindutva, calling it the way of life of India.
“Hindutva is not specific to any caste or religion. It means living life in sync with India,” he said. “However, it does not promote the consumption of beef. I want to ask [Siddaramaiah], if you too are Hindu, then how correct is it for you to promote the consumption of beef?”
He accused the Congress of scuttling the previous BJP government’s efforts to introduce an anti-cow slaughter bill.
Adityanath also warned the people of Karnataka that as elections near, the Congress would “divide you on the basis of caste”.
The chief minister said when Lord Ram was searching for Sita after she was kidnapped, he was roaming in forests without any hope. It was Karnataka’s Hanuman who showed him the way.
“This is the land that has always shown the way,” he said.
Yogi also accused the Congress of blocking the passage of important legislations.