Can't expect sobriety from communal party: Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Friday, lashed out at Union Minister of State Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Anantkumar Hegde and described BJP as communal party.

Speaking to media persons at Mandakalli airport, Siddaramaiah said that Anantkumar Hegde has no culture. Recalling a composition of saint Purandaradasa, the CM said, "Speech reflects the mindset of people. The BJP leaders claim they have culture. Is this the culture they have?. I come from a village and can use stronger words than the BJP leaders. But, I refrain from using such language," he said.

He pointed out that Congress party expelled Mani Shankar Aiyar for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "neech aadmi". This is the culture of Congress. BJP is a communal party and we cannot expect this from them, the CM said. Congress is the only secular party in Karnataka, he reiterated.

Denying the allegations that the state government is controlling Hindus from celebrating jayantis, Siddaramaiah explained, neither the district administration nor the police stopped anyone from celebrating Hanuma jayanti, but it was MP Pratap Simha, who created trouble by violating the law. "Being an elected representative, one should respect and follow the law of the land. Not just BJP workers, we also celebrate festivals," the CM added.

The police intensified the security during Tipu jayanti because BJP had threatened against the celebration. The CM accused BJP leaders, also former chief ministers Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar of having double standards over Tipu Jayanti. "The leaders are now opposing the jayanti describing Tipu as a traitor. It was the same Yeddyurappa who had praised Tipu when he was in KJP and Shettar has written preface to the book "Tipu Sultan: A Crusader for Change" by historian Prof B Sheik Ali, he said.