NEW DELHI: BJP today demanded the Karnataka chief minister’s resignation following death of two persons in violence over Tipu Sultan’s birth anniversary celebrations, and took a swipe at Congress chief Sonia Gandhi asking if she will now lead a march and seek Siddaramaiah’s ouster.
BJP said Siddaramaiah was unable to handle the law and order situation, and sought a probe into the death threats made against playwright Girish Karnad and its MP Prathap Simha. It also expressed concern that no arrest has been made in the murder of rationalist M M Kalburgi.
“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah must resign. Two persons have died and he has not been able to handle the law and order situation. Will Sonia Gandhi go to Bengaluru and march against this? Will she demand Siddaramaiah’s resignation?” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters.
Gandhi had on November 3 taken to the streets and led a march of its top leaders to Rashtrapati Bhavan to protest against the climate of growing intolerance in the country and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “endorsing” incidents of hate.
Referring to the alleged death threats received by Jnanpith awardee Karnad and BJP MP Simha on social media, the party sought a probe into it.
Karnad, who came under severe attack for his remarks that Bengaluru international airport should have been named after Tipu Sultan rather than the city’s founder, Kempe Gowda, received a threat on Twitter that he would meet with the same fate as rationalist M M Kalburgi, who was gunned down recently by two men at his residence in Dharwad in north Karnataka.
Karnad, though, later apologized, saying he did not want to hurt people’s feelings.
Meanwhile, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu pooh-poohed suggestions that the Bengaluru airport should have been named after 18th century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan and not city’s founder Kempe Gowda.
“Decision has been made to name Banaglaore airport after him. Public has also welcomed this decision. Now taking up again the same issue and suggesting different names do not have any meaning. There is no point in discussing now after the airport has been named after a great person who was instrumental creating Bangalore city.
“Secondly, the government (Karnataka) before taking any steps should keep in mind the public sentiment. Thirdly, no body should add fuel to the fire,” Naidu told reporters. –PTI
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