Karnataka BJP Labels Congress Event a 60% Commission Fair

Bengaluru, Jan 21 (NationPress) Criticizing the ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ Convention organized by the Congress party, Karnataka BJP asserted on Tuesday that the event that took place in Belagavi was merely a “60 percent commission memory fair” instead of a convention.

The Congress party gathered to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi assuming the presidency of the AICC in Belagavi and initiating the freedom struggle.

AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with key national and state leadership of the ruling Congress party, were present at the event.

During a press briefing in Bengaluru, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka remarked, “A Congress convention has been staged in Belagavi in the name of Mahatma Gandhi. If the Congress party truly revered Gandhi, they should have honored him by naming the Congress Bhavan after him or Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were not part of the freedom struggle, hence they lack the moral authority to invoke Mahatma Gandhi’s name.”

“This gathering is merely a celebration of their 60 percent commission collection, not a convention,” he emphasized.

He expressed concerns over the declining law-and-order situation in the state.

“The government has neglected issues such as the mutilation of three cows, bank heists, and gang rapes, instead prioritizing this convention,” he stated.

“When inquiries arise about development, they draw comparisons to the BJP’s governance. What sets Congress apart? Even Congress MLAs are voicing grievances about lack of funding. Gandhi advocated for simplicity, yet the convention was adorned with extravagant cutouts. This is a congregation of fake Gandhis,” Ashoka remarked.

He recognized Kittur Rani Chennamma as Karnataka’s courageous daughter who sacrificed her life fighting against the British.

“Equating her with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is both unacceptable and indefensible. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge must promptly apologize to the public. This comparison has disrespected Chennamma, and the Congress party should also issue an apology,” he insisted.

On the BJP’s organizational side, Ashoka mentioned a meeting convened to deliberate on the appointment of taluk-level office bearers.

“Once Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan arrives, discussions concerning the election of the state president will commence. The decision regarding the state president will be made by senior leaders after consulting with Shivraj Singh Chouhan,” he clarified.

In a media interaction in Bengaluru, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy sought clarification on the funding sources for the Congress convention held in Belagavi.

He inquired whether the funds were sourced from Congress’s own accounts or the state treasury, emphasizing that the public deserves transparency.

“A statue of Gandhi was unveiled in front of Suvarna Soudha today. We have no objections to the installation of Gandhi’s statue with government funds,” he asserted.

“This is not the Congress of Mahatma Gandhi’s era; the ideology of today’s Congress starkly contrasts with that of Gandhi’s Congress. Back then, anyone who drank alcohol was barred from party membership. Today’s Congress leaders indulge in drinking all night and then host conventions by morning,” he accused.

Narayanaswamy further mocked the Congress, stating, “The old Congress promoted khadi for all. Now, you’d be fortunate to find even 5–10 percent of attendees adorned in khadi. If Mahatma Gandhi were alive today, he would have expelled these Congress members from the party.”

Narayanaswamy criticized the occurrence of a Congress convention as contradictory to Gandhi’s principles. He pointed out, “They chant ‘Jai Bhim.’ When did B.R. Ambedkar ever belong to Congress? He labeled Congress a ‘burning house’ and resigned from the first cabinet formed by the party. Throughout his life, he opposed Congress,” he highlighted.

He accused Congress of being anti-Ambedkar, claiming, “The Congress party humiliated Ambedkar during his lifetime, defeated him in elections, and even ceded the area where he won to Pakistan. Now, Congress is orchestrating a drama to garner votes by invoking ‘Jai Bhim’ to entice Dalit communities.”

Narayanaswamy asserted that if anyone has betrayed the Constitution and perpetrated injustices, it is indeed the Congress party.

“To safeguard their power, they altered Ambedkar’s Constitution and enforced an Emergency in 1975–76, committing a severe crime against the nation,” he stated.

He also raised inquiries regarding the recent accident involving Minister for Women and Child Welfare Lakshmi Hebbalkar.

“The dark vehicle in which Minister Laxmi was traveling met with an accident. Who were the passengers in the car? Despite being a minister with access to an official vehicle, security, and an escort, why was she traveling without them? Why was there no travel plan (TP) filed?” he questioned.

While expressing sympathy and wishing her a speedy recovery from her injuries, Narayanaswamy pressed for clarification about the incident.

“Why was the vehicle on the road without security? What transpired exactly? Where is the driver? Did a dog crossing cause the accident, was it a rear-end collision, or did the driver fall asleep? What is the true account? Why wasn’t there an escort vehicle?” he interrogated.

He further alleged that public rumors suggested the car was carrying a significant amount of cash. “It’s become common gossip that the vehicle was transporting a substantial sum of money. Why was the car removed and taken away without filing a report? The government must reveal the items discovered in the car,” Narayanaswamy stated.

Women and child welfare minister Laxmi Hebbalkar sustained neck and spine fractures, while her MLC brother Channaraj Hattiholi experienced minor injuries when their vehicle crashed into a tree near Kittur taluk on January 14.