Chikkodi, 5 March

Targeting Congress and the party's leadership over the 'pro-Pakistan slogan' issue, BJP’s JP Nadda questioned whether they were running the outfit to speak Pakistan's language.  The party's National President questioned if they were representatives of the neighbouring country in India.

Referring to the blast at 'The Rameshwaram Cafe', he accused the government of being soft on terrorists.

Addressing booth-level party workers meeting here, he alleged, "If anything is available free in State it is terrorism; terrorists are getting encouragement and patronage." "Pakistan zindabad slogans are raised in Vidhana Soudha, and Congress' Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar are mute spectators. Isn't it from this Karnataka Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge comes from? The MP is someone who sits next to Kharge, on whose victory Pakistan zindabad slogans are raised," he said.

Congress leader Syed Naseer Hussain's supporters allegedly raised "Pakistan zindabad" slogans, while celebrating his victory in the Rajya Sabha polls on 27 February at Vidhana Soudha, the seat of state legislature and secretariat.

Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, Nadda asked, "Is this the way you are uniting India? Your MP wins an election and on his victory, Pakistan Zindabad slogans are raised." "Whom are you representing? Kharge, why are you silent? The people of Karnataka are asking," he said.

Pointing at the delay in the FSL report being made public by the government despite a private forensic report confirming that the pro-Pakistan slogans were raised, BJP Chief questioned the Siddaramaiah government's "inaction", and said, "those speaking Pakistan's language, remember that 'Bharat Mata' will never forgive you."

"The people will question you (Congress), when Kharge saab comes here (Karnataka) to his 'janmabhoomi' (the land of birth), question him -- as to which party he represents," he said.

Claiming that there used to be "one or the other blast every day" in the country under the UPA rule, he alleged that Congress was soft on terror and its leader Rahul Gandhi stands with the "tukde tukde gang".

Accusing the Congress of negating the very existence of Lord Ram, Nadda further pointed out that, they said Ram was imaginary, and "at every interval" they opposed Ram, and did not even attend the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya. He also hit out at Congress for putting a 'Karsevak' in jail in a 31-year-old case. "The people of State in the coming days will democratically take revenge, for injustice done on Ram Bhakts."

Referring to the Bill that sought to collect funds from temples with over Rs 10 lakh annual income, Nadda said, "They have imposed a 10 per cent tax on Hindu temples. What can this be called? They will use this money for appeasement politics."

For Congress, the State government has become an "ATM government", he said, adding, "They will collect money from here and fill the bags of their party in Delhi.” PTI