File Picture Courtesy : indiatoday.in
As the battle for Karnataka hots up between the ruling Congress and the BJP, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took a dig at BJP president Amit Shah for calling him ‘AHINDU’ (anti-Hindu).
Shah had said at a press conference at Davangere two days ago that Siddaramaiah is not an ‘AHINDA’ leader (a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) but ‘AHINDU’ leader (anti-Hindu).
Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru that Shah should first clarify his position whether he is “AHINDU or not.”
“Amit Shah is a Jain. He needs to clarify first whether he is AHINDU. Jain is a separate religion. How can he talk about me like that,” Siddaramaiah said.
He said Shah was scared of him due to which he was making all “baseless” allegations against him.
During his two-day visit to the poll-bound Karnataka, the BJP national president had attacked the Karnataka CM on a number of issues. He said that the move to accord religious minority tag to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Linagayats was an attempt to ‘divide’ the Hindus.
“In 2013 when your own (UPA) government was in power at the Centre, they had rejected it. Why was Siddaramaiah silent then. This is an attempt to divide the Hindus..,” Shah had said.
BP chief said it was not a programme towards the welfare of the Veerashaiva and Lingayat community but a “conspiracy” to stop Yeddyurappa, considered a Lingayat strongman, from becoming the chief minister.
