Sharply responding to issues involving hijab, halal and loudspeakers in masjids, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) spokesperson Priyank Kharge said that the government is dead in the State and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has turned dumb.
“The government in the State is dead. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has turned dumb. Bajrang Dal, a right wing organisation, is running the government,” Mr. Kharge told mediapersons in Kalaburagi on Tuesday.
“After hijab and halal, the right wing organisations have now turned to loudspeakers atop mosques. The pollution control board and the Supreme Court have formulated some guidelines for the use of outdoor loudspeakers. They are applicable not just to masjids but also to temples and churches as well. Let the government strictly implement these regulations instead of pointing to the loudspeakers atop masjids alone to politicise the issue and polarise the communities,” Mr. Kharge said.
Taking serious exceptions to Bajrang Dal that was targeting Muslims and claiming to be a patriotic organisation, Mr. Kharge challenged the members of the organisation to first stop using petrol imported from Muslim countries to show their patriotism.
“Cooking gas price has crossed the ₹1,000 mark. Petrol price has gone up to ₹111 a litre. Instead of talking about these skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, they [Bajrang Dal activists] are talking about something else. Let them stop using petrol imported from Muslim countries to show their patriotism. All this is happening as the Chief Minister [Basavaraj Bommai] has turned dumb,” he said.
Responding to a question, Mr. Kharge questioned the very necessity of a government in place when situations where people are forced to go to court for everything have been created.
“If such a situation is created that people are compelled to approach courts for everything, what is the necessity of a government? What is the necessity of an Assembly? Let the Assembly be dissolved and administration be handed over to Keshava Krupa [State Headquarters of the RSS]. The State, which is economically strong and has favourable conditions to attract investments, is losing its charm under the BJP. Recently, a Minister from neighbouring Telangana invited companies operating in Bengaluru to pack up and relocate to Hyderabad,” Mr. Kharge said and added that it was a result of the Chief Minister serving as a puppet at the hands of the Sangh Parivar.
