Senior BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa took potshots at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Friday, Mr. Eshwarappa said the fact that Mr. Gandhi has embarked on a yatra to unify India from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, was welcome.
‘’It was the Congress which was responsible for partition of Akhand Bharath and the creation of Hindustan and Pakistan. Now it is trying to unify it,’” he remarked.
The freedom fighters who braved police lathis, received bullets or were hanged did not struggle to seek an independent but a truncated India, said Mr. Eshwarappa.
‘’Savarkar did not undergo imprisonment only for the country to be partitioned. Likewise, Chandrashekar Azad, Rajguru, Sukhdev and lakhs of others went to jail and sacrificed their lives for the country. If the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives have to rest in peace, then Mr. Gandhi should ensure that Bharat Jodo results in Akhand Bharat and the Congress should apologise for its role in partition and announce that it is undertaking Bharat Jodo as an expiation for its role. It is then that the ongoing yatra will have some credibility,” said Mr. Eshwarappa.
Speaking on a slew of issues, he then turned his ire on KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar and flayed him for his remarks that he was being hounded by the Enforcement Directorate ‘’at a time when Assembly session was on’’.
‘’This is politically motivated and during the previous raid television channels beamed visuals of bundles of currency notes recovered from his properties,” said Mr. Eshwarappa. Mr. Shivakumar is now on bail and he should fight and prove his innocence and seek acquittal legally instead of levelling baseless allegations against ED, said Mr. Eshwarappa.
In reply to a question, Mr. Eshwarappa said that reservations were introduced to ensure inclusivity of all sections of society. But if the reservation benefits are being cornered by the economically emancipated section among the Dalits, then it amounts to depriving the downtrodden section of their rights, said Mr. Eshwarappa. Referring to Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Mr. Eshwarappa said that the former was in power since decades and if his son Priyank Kharge was to enjoy reservation benefits then it would amount to depriving the more deserving of an opportunity.
