BJP under Vijayendra has failed to fight Congress effectively on Muslim appeasement, says Yatnal

BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO

The State BJP under the leadership of B.Y. Vijayendra has failed to fight the maladministration of the Congress effectively, party MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said in Vijayapura on Sunday.

“The Congress government is following the policy of Muslim appeasement. Their action makes us feel as if they are trying to make Karnataka a part of Pakistan. It is giving large amounts of money to Muslim development, including protection of waqf land, self-defence of Muslim girls and reservation to Muslims in government contracts. But the State BJP has failed to protest these measures and create public awareness against them,” he told reporters.

He, however, said that he will lead a fight against such appeasement policies of the State government, by raising these issues in the Assembly.

Home Minister G. Parameshwar is not working. His contribution towards law and order maintenance is zero. He has failed in containing atrocities on Hindus, especially Hindu girls, Mr. Yatnal said.

“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is trying to appease Muslims through various budgetary provisions. Lack of fund is forcing the government to close down universities. There are no principals in government colleges. But the State government is setting aside money for Madrassas that are engaged in anti-India activities. But Mr. Vijayendra and his team are keeping mum, as they are all engaged in adjustment politics,” he said.

Responding to a statement by BJP leader M.P. Renukacharya that the former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s supporters will organise a Veerashaiva Lingayat rally, Mr. Yatnal said that he will organise a Hindu Maha Sangam rally, instead.

Mr. Yatnal denied rumours that he will quit the BJP to launch his own party. “The BJP has been derailed in the State. It has moved away from Hindutva. I will repair that and bring it back on track towards Hindutva. I will never quit the BJP. I will not form any party,” he said.

Such rumours have spread after the BJP high command refused to entertain him and his faction or to honour their demand for changing the State BJP president, he said.

“Let me make this clear. All these years, the people of the State voted for the BJP for its pro-Hindutva stand. But the party is now deviating from its Hindutva ideology. That is why Hindus defeated us in the last Assembly polls. We need to bring the party back to its Hindutva roots and strengthen it by weeding out leaders who are compromising their political stand. Our party State unit president is engaged in adjustment politics with leaders of other parties. We do not want him. We want him changed. Our demand remains the same,” he said.

Mr. Yatnal complained that the previous BJP governments have done nothing good for the Hindus. Cases of atrocities against Hindus were not handled properly, when BJP CMs were in power. Also, there is a false propaganda in favour of B.S. Yediyurappa that he is a very strong leader of the Lingayat community. This sent a message to the party high command that upsetting him or his children will damage the BJP’s prospects. This is not true. Lingayats are Hindus. They honour the Hindutva ideology. There is a need for the BJP to keep all the communities with it,” he said.

To a query about why the BJP high command failed to take action against him for his apparent rebellion, he said: “The high command knows who is Yatnal and who is Vijayendra.”

He expressed dissatisfaction over the appointment of Gurulingappa Angadi as the new district president of the Vijayapura BJP district unit. “Mr. Vijayendra is behind this. He has deliberately appointed Mr. Angadi who worked against me in the last Assembly elections. This is an act of vengeance. But then, this is not new. Even Mr. Yediyurappa was engaged in such politics of vengeance against me. I dare Mr. Vijayendra to visit Vijayapura now,” Mr. Yatnal said.