Bengaluru, Dec 3 (NationPress) The consumption of 'naatikoli saaru' (a chicken gravy dish) alongside idlis during a breakfast meeting hosted by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the residence of Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar has ignited controversy, as the Karnataka BJP has voiced objections regarding the presence of chicken on the auspicious occasion of Hanuman Jayanti.

During a press conference in Bengaluru, R. Ashoka, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, stated on Tuesday, "While Hanuman Jayanti was being observed statewide, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah indulged in 'naatikoli saaru' at the residence of Dy CM Shivakumar. Previously, he had also eaten meat before visiting the Hindu pilgrimage site of Dharmasthala."

"Not long ago, a breakfast meeting occurred at Siddaramaiah’s residence, and now it has shifted to D.K. Shivakumar’s home. This drama is directed by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Venugopal. Siddaramaiah’s behavior has offended Hanuman devotees," he remarked.

“Lord Hanuman was born in Kishkinda, located in the Ballari region of Karnataka. It is now a tradition for devotees to wear Hanuma malas and observe fasting during this time. They take vows, visit Hanuman temples, receive darshan of the deity, and subsequently remove the malas. I, too, visited two Hanuman temples this morning to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti," Ashoka added.

“I extend my best wishes to all Hanuman devotees statewide. However, at Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar’s residence, a country chicken was slaughtered in Kanakapura, his hometown. Using that chicken, both gravy and biryani were prepared. CM Siddaramaiah appears indifferent to Hindu sentiments. I received numerous calls expressing dissatisfaction with the consumption of 'naatikoli saaru' during Hanuman Jayanti," Ashoka stated.

“People urged me to raise this issue, which is why I am doing so. There are countless devotees of Lord Hanuman throughout the state. Every village in Karnataka has its own dedicated Hanuman temple," he mentioned.

Ashoka criticized the Congress government for neglecting farmers' issues and failing to repair potholes, asserting that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar convened a breakfast meeting solely to settle their differences.

Ashoka continued, “D.K. Shivakumar once claimed he would seize power forcefully. Now he is preoccupied with breakfast meetings. Meanwhile, G. Parameshwara has expressed deep concern. Over 580 individuals have lost their lives in pothole-related accidents in the state in the past ten months. Had the time spent on these breakfast meetings been dedicated to filling potholes, many innocent lives could have been saved.”

He highlighted that the issues concerning sugarcane prices remain unresolved, and problems at maize procurement centers persist. No breakfast meetings have been held to discuss these critical issues.

“Yet, they have convened a breakfast meeting merely to resolve internal conflicts. This government has lost the confidence of Anganwadi workers, farmers, entrepreneurs, and Dalits,” he stated.

He further criticized, likening it to wild-card entries in the Bigg Boss reality show, that Ministers Satish Jarkiholi and G. Parameshwara are eager to become Chief Minister under the Dalit quota.

“The entire government resembles a reality show. Instead of such meetings, if the government had allocated the pending bill of Rs 12 crore for the repair of the Tungabhadra reservoir gates, farmers could have received irrigation water. We will highlight this issue and advocate for farmers during the Assembly session,” he stated.

He noted that the government lacks funds not only for the development of North Karnataka but for any developmental initiatives.

“We will question whether Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has honored the commitments made during the previous Belagavi session. In Dharmasthala, the Congress government provided biryani to the individual who brought the skull. However, they have yet to substantiate it,” Ashoka alleged.

He also remarked that the Uttar Pradesh MP who criticized Bengaluru should enhance his security. “Otherwise, D.K. Shivakumar may threaten him as well. They have already issued threats to industrialists,” he alleged.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah enjoyed idlis and 'natikoli saaru' during a breakfast meeting at the residence of Dy CM and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar.