Yeddyurappa calls for anti-Rahul campaign

Addressing a BJP workers’ convention here on Sunday, Yeddyurappa called upon the youth to “reject Rahul Gandhi as a youth icon” and plunge into a movement against him.

“A movement has to be started against Rahul Gandhi across the nation and let it begin from Karnataka,” he said. Rahul Gandhi’s opinion that radicalised Hindu groups posed a bigger threat to the country than militant groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba should not be tolerated by Indians.

“This only depicted the level of Rahul’s understanding of Indian culture and traditions. He is playing on the religious sentiments time and again only to excel in politics. We should respond aptly,” the Chief Minister added.

Reacting to AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi’s statement that the Karnataka chief minister had failed to act against tainted ministers of his Cabinet, Yeddyurappa said that he had written an open letter to Sonia, for which he was expecting a reply.

“In the letter, I have mentioned about the denotification of land by former chief minister S M Krishna and about the notice issued by the Lokayukta to Dharam Singh pertaining to illegal mining in the State, during his tenure,” the Chief Minister said. Sonia Gandhi should not make baseless allegations on the BJP government, he added.

Compensation to Priyanka’s family

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has announced that a compensation of Rs two lakh and a house will be given to the Jhas, whose three-and-a-half-year-old daughter Priyanka was a victim of superstition at Yeyyadi on Friday.

The Chief Minister, who met the family, said he was aware of the election code of conduct and the “possible noise the Opposition will make”. But he had to announce the compensation on humanitarian grounds.

Announcing a probe into the matter after he met Firan Kumar and his wife Anjali, he urged the people to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.