Karnataka BJP attacks MB Patil for criticism of its Dalit leader for raising voice against Kharge

Bengaluru, Aug 30 (IANS) Karnataka BJP on Friday slammed Minister for Large and Medium Industries, MB Patil, for allegedly targeting Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, for raising his voice against AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge’s family in connection with a land allotment row.

Chalavadi Narayanaswamy is a prominent Dalit face of the BJP in Karnataka.

Taking to his X handle on Friday, state BJP President BY Vijayendra charged, “I strongly condemn Minister MB Patil's behaviour and urge him to immediately offer an unconditional apology to Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and the Scheduled communities.”

“Respected Chalavadi Narayanaswamy holds a constitutional position in the Opposition party hailing from the Scheduled Caste community. Despite the dignity of his position, Minister of Large and Medium Industries, MB Patil has revealed his uncultured personality by using derogatory and mocking words. This reflects his inability to tolerate a member of the Scheduled Caste community holding a high position and exposed his hatred. “The BJP has identified a fighter from the SC community and elevated him. Narayanaswamy has raised allegations about the irregular and illegal approvals of CA sites in Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB).

“Instead of responding with an open mind to these charges, MB Patil's reaction reveals his attempt to appease his National President by insulting a dignified person from the SC community who has risen from a humble background to a respected position. This shows the level of respect he has for the SC community,” Vijayendra slammed.

He stressed that in politics, there should be criticism and counter-criticism and those in the ruling party should demonstrate magnanimity by accepting the criticisms from the Opposition positively.

However, behaving in a desperate manner is equal to disrespecting the democratic system, he added.

Narayanaswamy had launched an attack on Mallikarjun Kharge and his son, state Minister Priyank Kharge, over the allotment of five acres of land by the Siddaramaiah government at the Aerospace Park in Bengaluru, saying that it was an injustice to Dalits by the Kharge family.

“Kharge family is playing politics over the land which is meant for Dalits and depriving deserving Dalits of their rightful share,” he claimed.

He also released fresh documents in this regard. "The KIADB collected lakhs of rupees from 72 Dalit organisations which had applied for plots but only allocated land to the Kharge family, disregarding other families," he slammed.

He also criticised the government for hastily approving land for the Kharge family within just 20 days, flouting all rules.

"This is one of the biggest blunders in KIADB's history," he emphasised.

Narayanswamy had also met the Governor on Tuesday and submitted a letter for a thorough enquiry into the allotments of lands by the KIADB.

MB Patil while criticising him for making allegations against the Kharge family, stated, “Narayanaswamy is not Satyawadi Harishchandra (a legendary king who gave away his kingdom, sold his family and agreed to be a slave to fulfil a promise).”

MB Patil had also slammed him as a “shed man” pointing out that instead of constructing an industry on two acres of land allotted 18 years ago, he had only built a shed there flouting all norms.

--IANS