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Strongly condemning the murder of Neha Hiremath in Hubbali, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday criticised the efforts of the rival political parties use the death for political gain.
Speaking to reporters near his residence in Mysuru, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he strongly condemns the murder of Neha while adding that the police had arrested the murderer immediately after the incident. A serious investigation will be conducted into the matter and efforts will be made to give strict punishment to the wrongdoer, he assured.
He dismissed the charges made by the BJP that the murder was part of “love jihad”.
He said it was reprehensible that a political party was using the death for political purposes and condemned the efforts made the rival parties to politicize the murder. To a question, he said the protests will not make any impact on the people, he said.
Even though murders take place during all regimes, the Chief Minister sought to make it clear that the State government was not taking the law and order situation in the State lightly. The law and order situation had been taken up seriously and Karnataka was more peaceful than other States, he claimed. Wrongdoers in any act of crime including murder, dacoity, and theft will be given strict punishment, he assured.
Fielding questions on the ensuing elections to the Lok Sabha, Mr. Siddaramaiah pointed out that there is no “Modi wave” in Karnataka or anywhere in the country. BJP candidates were seeking votes in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they were entirely dependent on him. “There is a strong anti-incumbency against the Modi government,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
Hence, he said the situation is favourable for the Congress party and the INDIA bloc in the entire country, he said.
Fielding queries on the Congress party’s advertisement against the BJP government with a picture of “Chombu” or an empty water pot, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the advertisement sought to drive home the point that the Modi government at the Centre had not fulfilled its promises made to the people and instead given them a “Chombu” or an empty water pot.
“Did they pay ₹ 15 lakh to each citizen by bringing back black money? Did they generate two crore jobs every year? Did they double the farmers’ income and bring Ache Din?,” he asked.
When it was brought to his notice that the Opposition party leaders were interpreting the advertisement as the State government seeking “alms” from the Centre after exhausting its treasury, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the State’s treasury was not empty. “We have not only implemented the guarantee programmes, but have also taken up developmental works in the State”, he said.
To another question, Mr Siddaramaiah said JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy was also communal now as their party had joined hands with the BJP. “JD(S) is no longer a secular party. It is a communal party since they have an alliance with the BJP. It is better to dissolve JD(S),” he said.
When asked for a response to Mr. Kumaraswamy’s allegation that Mr. Siddaramaiah was afraid of the JD(S), the Chief Minister said it was the JD(S) and BJP that were afraid. “If we were to be afraid, would we have contested independently?,” he asked before stating that the it was the JD(S) and BJP that were gripped by fear. “That is why they have joined hands,” he said.
