In the news since he said hundreds of acres of land allotted to RSS and its affiliates by the previous BJP government will be reviewed, Karnataka minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, while speaking to News18, said other decisions such as the Hijab ban and Halal row would also be looked into.
Denying BJP’s allegations that the Siddaramaiah government was practising politics of vendetta, Rao said it was the saffron party that was known for harassing the Opposition, especially at the Centre.
Edited excerpts:
You mentioned that the Congress government will review all the land allocated to RSS and its affiliates. Are you planning to revoke those allocations?
A significant amount of land, which belongs to the government, has been allocated to the RSS, its affiliated associations, and other institutions. All this will be looked into.
Are you suggesting that these allocations were not carried out transparently?
No. We intend to look into how these allocations were made, the purpose behind them, and whether they are justifiable. Ultimately, a lot of land has been given to trusts run by the RSS and the government should probe this.
There were several important laws passed by the previous BJP government, such as the anti-cow slaughter law and the anti-conversion laws. Regarding the anti-cow slaughter law, even minister K Venkatesh has commented on it. Will it be reviewed?
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has also said that he will review it. It is important to highlight that farmers and farmer associations have approached our government, expressing their concerns and urging us to re-evaluate the law. The livelihoods of farmers are being affected by this law. While the 1963 cow slaughter law is already in place, the newly framed law needs to be revised. Farmers, who live with and care for cows, have petitioned us several times that transporting aged cows has become a problem. They have requested a review of the law for the sake of the economy.
What about decisions made regarding issues like Hijab and Halal? Will those also be reviewed?
Yes, the government will review those decisions. Our Congress government is committed to not allow any decision that divides or attempts to communalise society. We will make decisions in the best interest of maintaining social harmony.
What about allegations that the BJP government tried to saffronise education, particularly regarding textbooks and the removal of references to Tipu Sultan and the introduction of anecdotes about Veer Savarkar? Will there be an effort to restore what was removed from the textbooks?
The BJP distorted and attempted to promote a particular ideology even in education, which is unacceptable. Education should be imparted based on facts and not utilised as a means to propagate a specific ideology. Children should have open minds, not closed ones as was attempted during the previous government. Therefore, the school curriculum needs to be reworked from that perspective.
The BJP has accused the new Congress government in Karnataka of being driven by vendetta and targeting the BJP at every opportunity. How do you respond?
Such accusations are baseless. No such decisions have been made. The BJP has been known for practising vendetta and harassing opposition parties, especially at the central level. They have become masters at silencing the media, NGOs, and citizens who raise their voices against their policies. We have witnessed how the Narendra Modi government has worked against those who have opposed BJP’s policies.
Just consider how the Centre mishandled the issue involving our wrestlers who not only made our country proud but also put us on the world map. Is this how we should treat our athletes? The BJP should think before making such statements. Basavaraj Bommai claimed that Karnataka is in a state of emergency under the Congress, but the fact is that our country is under an undeclared emergency under the BJP.
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