Former Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah and H.D. Kumaraswamy were among the leaders in the State to condemn the statement of BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on freedom fighter H.S. Doreswamy.
Mr. Siddaramaiah asked Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to refrain BJP leaders from issuing provocative statements. Citing the violence in Delhi, in his tweets, Mr. Siddaramaiah told Mr. Yediyurappa to put breaks on his party leaders from making loose statements before the situation went out of control.
JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy questioned the contribution of Mr. Yatnal to the freedom struggle. “It is condemnable to talk lightly about a person who was associated with Mahatma Gandhi. Very few persons who have worked during the Mahatma’s times are with us now. They have all contributed much in the freedom struggle.” Later in a tweet, Mr. Kumaraswamy said Mr. Yatnal had tried to spit at the sky, but ultimately it had fallen on his eye. Further, he said: “I do not understand why the same BJP leaders who have commented on the Mahatma and have termed Muslims as Pakistanis, took U.S. President Donald Trump to Sabarmati Ashram and Taj Mahal. It is up to the people to decide.”
Theatre personality Prasanna said: “I am a Hindu and Mr. Doreswamy is a Hindu. I am ashamed of Mr. Yatnal and the ideology he propagates. The Hindutva that he is propagating is not Hindu dharma or any dharma for that matter. It is an insult to Hindu dharma. Let the Hindus of this land decide who is whose agent.”
KPCC media coordinator Nataraj Gowda asked the saffron party to seek Mr Yatnal’s resignation from the membership of the Legislative Assembly and tender an apology to Mr. Doreswamy.
