‘No saffronisation, moral policing in Karnataka’: CM Siddaramaiah

In a veiled attack on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the newly elected Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that the senior police officials have been instructed to ensure no ‘saffronisation’ and ‘moral policing’ in the state.

“That is what we have instructed all the senior Police officials - no saffronisation, no moral policing...” Siddaramaiah told media persons after attending a Congress legislature party meeting at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. He also said that action will be taken against such people who are making false news. Congress in its manifesto for the Karnataka election said that the party is committed to taking firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred among communities on grounds of caste and religion.

“We believe that law and Constitution are sacrosanct and cannot be violated by individuals and organisations like Bajrang Dal, Popular Front of India (PFI) or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities. We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on any such organisations,” the manifesto said.

Soon after being sworn in as the chief minister, Siddaramaiah had said that the first cabinet meeting has issued orders for the implementation of five guarantees which were promised by the party before the elections.

All will be in force after the next cabinet meeting, he had said at a press briefing after the cabinet meeting.

The five ‘main’ guarantees are 200 units of free power to all households, Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family, 10kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household, Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders for two years and free travel for women in public transport buses.

The senior police officials have been instructed to ensure no saffronisation and moral policing in state

SIDDARAMAIAH