HDK’s statements have demoralised police force: Nalin Kumar Kateel

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy has demoralised the police force by releasing videos of police firing and playing down the bomb scare at Mangalore International Airport, BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel has said.

He was addressing a mammoth rally organised in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Gold Finch City grounds.

Kateel said that 21 innocent people had lost their lives when Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah were chief ministers. Under the CAA, over three crore Hindus and Parsis, among others, will get citizenship. Why are the Muslims opposing granting citizenship rights to Hindus? he asked.

Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers D V Sadananda Gowda said that there would be no withdrawal of the CAA.

Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Shobha Karandlaje alleged that funds of Rs 120 crore were diverted into the accounts of 73 people to create unrest over the CAA issue.

“In Kerala, people who supported the CAA were denied water. Now, what has the CAA to do with denying of water?” she asked.

District In-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary urged the Congress to forget the past and extend cooperation on implementing the CAA.

BJP Organising General Secretary Ravikumar sought a reply on why Congress was lying to the Muslims.

BJP District President Sanjeeva Matandoor also spoke on the occasion. Former Governor Padmanabha Acharya and MLAs from undivided Dakshina Kannada were also present.

‘Sea of people’

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared the gathering as a ‘Jana Samudra’.

Over 1,100 buses were engaged to get the BJP workers to the venue and take them back. Traffic movement on NH 66 was affected before the start of and after the end of the event.

Singh said that the Ram Mandir, as promised, would be built and people can have darshan of Lord Rama within 18 months.

People wearing black scarves had to remove them before entering the venue.