Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the BJP leaders should get their daughters married to Dalit boys if they really want to uplift the Dalits.

The chief minister was speaking during a programme organised to lay the foundation stone for various development projects at the District Stadium here on Sunday. Siddaramaiah said that, “Dalits will not develop if BJP leaders consume food at their house. Marry your (BJP leaders) girls to Dalit boys and make Dalit girls your family members to eradicate casteism. Consuming food, that has been prepared in hotels, in Dalits houses will not develop the community,” he said.

He scoffed at the claims made by BJP and JD(S) leaders that they will waive farmers’ loans within 24 hours if they come to power and said that no leader in these parties has experience of working in the fields. “When I was pursuing BSc, I used to plough the land. BJP and JD(S) leaders are under the illusion that they will come to power. JD(S) is limited to only four districts. I have given corruption-free governance for four years and the Congress party will come to power in the 2018 Assembly election,” he said.

The chief minister said that Gandhi Bhavans will be established in all districts. The government has earmarked Rs 3 crore and places have been identified in 15 districts, he said.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that the Congress government has constructed 76 bus stands in the last four years. He said 36 city bus stands in the cities with a population of more than one lakh have been developed as over 1.15 crore passengers travel in KSRTC buses everyday.

District Minister A Manju said that as many as 1.49 lakh farmers in the district have received the loan waiver benefit.

District Kuruba Sangha members presented a silver crown and a sword to Siddaramaiah. MLC H M Revanna, Congress district president B Shivaram, ZP president Shwetha Devaraj, Malnad Development Board Chairman Hemmige Mohan and Hassan Urban Development Authority Chairman Krishnakumar were present.