Taking serious exception to the statement of Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi of likening the Congress government in the State to that of IS and Taliban, leaders and members of the Congress led by Labour Minister Santosh Lad staged a protest in Dharwad on Tuesday.
Staging the demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Dharwad, the protestors urged Mr. Joshi to withdraw his statement and apologise for his remarks.
Addressing the protestors, Mr. Lad said that it was unbecoming of a Central Minister to make such a demeaning remark against the chief minister of a State who is known for his secular views and good governance.
Mentioning that he has respect for Mr. Joshi, Mr. Lad said that no politician should belittle the personality of another leader that too a chief minister by making such remarks.
Mr. Lad sought to know from Mr. Joshi how his conscience permitted him to make such demeaning remarks. He also sought to know from Mr. Joshi how 300 kg of RDX entered India which led to the Pulwama attack.
Terming Mr. Joshi’s act of comparing the Congress government to Taliban and IS as a grave mistake, he urged Mr. Joshi to tender a public apology.
AICC member Deepak Chinchore said that a padayatra will be taken out from Dharwad to the residence of Mr. Joshi in Hubballi and a siege will be laid to his residence if the Central Minister fails to withdraw his statement.
Presidents of the district units of the Congress Altaf Halwoor and Anilkumar Patil, the former MLA M.S. Akki, various other leaders, including Nagesh Kalburagi and Basavaraj Gurikar, took part in the agitation.
