'It's a lie', says Siddaramaiah on withdrawal of PFI cases

Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah on Thursday refuted the BJP's charge that he had withdrawn cases against PFI workers when he was chief minister.

"Falsehood is the god worshipped by the BJP and Sangh Parivar," Siddaramaiah said in a statement.

"They are going on lying about me helping the PFI grow and that the Congress government had withdrawn cases against PFI workers," he said.

Siddaramaiah said he wrote four letters to the BJP government seeking details on the withdrawal of cases against PFI workers. "In the BJP government's reply, there is no mention about any case against PFI workers having been withdrawn when the Congress was in power," he said. "Instead, when I was CM, cases that were filed on farmers, Dalits, labourers, Communists and other leaders were withdrawn," he added.

The Congress leader also demanded to know if the BJP has "an internal understanding" with the SDPI, the PFI's political arm. "Let there be an inquiry under a High Court judge on how both parties have helped each other in elections," he said.

He also pointed to statements made by Hindu activists Pramod Muthalik and Satyajit Surathkal. "A few days ago, Muthalik said the BJP helped the PFI and SDPI grow. No one from the BJP or Sangh Parivar has denied this. Similarly, Surathkal said PFI and SDPI are the BJP's 'B' team. Even this hasn't been denied," Siddaramaiah said.