Former minister C T Ravi.
Credit: DH File Photo
Mysuru: Former minister C T Ravi who is known for his hard-hitting comments defended RSS and BJP while flaying the Congress-led Karnataka government for failing to curb communal violence across the state by asking “Do communal riots occur where Hindus are a majority?
Speaking to media persons, in Mysuru, on Monday, Ravi, a BJP leader, said, “They make ready-made accusations that the BJP and RSS are responsible for the Mangaluru murder or violence. Was RSS responsible for the murder of Suhas Shetty, Sharath Madivala, or Praveen Nettaru? The divisive forces are trying to turn Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada into another Kashmir. Is RSS responsible for all the riots and violence across the world? Are Bin Laden and Mujahideen from the RSS?”
Responding to a question on the alleged misappropriation in the Minority Welfare department, Ravi said, “A contract for the construction of the Minority Welfare department’s compound has been given to a person without inviting any tender. The truth will come out, if investigated. The Congress government in Karnataka considers scams as awards. The Congress leaders think that the MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority) and Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation (KMVSTDC) scams are the awards they have earned. They just suspend corrupt officials and then transfer them to other departments. They accused the BJP of being a 40 per cent commission government. But, their government is taking 69 per cent commission. Soon, it will go up to 100 per cent”.
In reply to a query on Hemavati Link Canal protests in Tumakuru district, Ravi said, “The filing of FIRs against the protesters is condemnable. The ministers should have held a meeting, to take the local people and their representatives into confidence, before implementing the project. Now, the project should be re-evaluated and revised. How can they say that protests cannot be held? They should not become dictators. They should not oppress people’s movements”.
Replying to a question on the issues related to Karnataka State Public Service Commission (KPSC), Ravi said, “There are many problems in the KPSC, especially because nominations have been on caste considerations. Those at the helm of the government should pay attention to this. The government seems to be dead. It is counting its days. Even though three years are remaining, it is already counting its days. People have realised that Karnataka doesn't need the Congress. Prices of essential products and services have increased exponentially over the past two years. In the next three years, we will see much more price hikes, increasing people’s sufferings”.
In response to actor Kamal Haasan's statement on the origin of Kannada, recently, Ravi said, “There is a possibility of masking some issues under the guise of something else. It can be one of the 'toolkit' narratives. The divisive forces issue such statements one by one, to see the reaction of the society and also to divide the people”.