Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar has accused the ruling BJP of insulting the Veerashaiva Lingayat community in Karnataka.
At the Yuva Kranti rally organised by the Congress in Belagavi on March 20, the MLA and Lingayat leader said that the BJP has decided that it no longer needs the Veerashaiva Lingayat community to win Assembly polls in Karnataka.
“BJP is speaking openly against Veerashaiva Lingayats. It is highly condemnable. BJP leader C.T. Ravi has said that the BJP does not need the support of the Lingayat community to win the coming polls. It is because political power has gone to the heads of BJP leaders,” she said.
“Some BJP leaders say the party does not need the Lingayats. Some other leader says they will destroy all madrassas in the State. Someone else gives a call for dispensing with Siddaramaiah. Is that what your morals are? Are these the principles you live by? We should observe them closely. BJP leaders keep taking the name of lord Ram all the time. But their thoughts, mindset and work is that of Ravana,” she said.
KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar welcomes Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge upon their arrival in Belagavi, Karnataka, on March 20, 2023.
She urged the people to support the Congress in the coming polls. Women, members of all communities, and especially youth, should support the party.
“You are all intelligent and self-respecting people. You should analyse who has supported you more. We have issued two guarantee cards already. One of them, Graha Lakshmi, is for women. The woman who head the family and runs the household, will get a cash incentive of ₹2,000 or ₹24,000 per annum.
“This is to help the poor tide through the crisis of price rise, created by the BJP governments at the Centre and the State. They have been hiking prices of essential commodities, without worrying about the fate of the poor. Just when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Belagavi, the price of domestic cylinder was increased. The BJP is so cruel that it is not worried about the welfare of the common man. The Congress, on the other hand, wants to help the poor out of such a crisis. It will help them buy a domestic cylinder and manage other costs,’‘ she said.
“The other guarantee is for 200 units free power. This will help the poor. However, these guarantees are for all, and not just for the poor. They will be given to all families, whether it is Lakshmi Hebbalkar’s family or Congress leader Saleem Ahmed’s family,” she said.
Published - March 20, 2023 02:46 pm IST
