Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Tuesday said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra by the Congress party is nothing but “relaunching” of Rahul Gandhi and is not meant for the common people.

He said that Rahul Gandhi is undertaking the Bharat Jodo Yatra for the existence of the party in India. Rahul Gandhi is leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra (which entered its 34th day on Tuesday) which is in its Karnataka leg, a state which is slated to go to the assembly polls next year.

Speaking after inaugurating BJP Sankalp Yatra headed by CM Bommai and former CM BS Yediyurappa at Gilesugur village in Raichur taluk, Bommai took on former chief minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah and said that he left “Samajwad” the day he joined the party.

“Siddaramaiah comes from the Samajwadi background and the day he joined the Congress Party he had left behind the ‘Samajwad’. It is painful that Siddaramaiah has been working under a small boy and following his instructions. This is not the symbol of self-respect,” Bommai said.

“The Congress leaders are ready to do anything for the sake of power. Rahul Gandhi has been doing padayatra to be relevant in the current political situation. This event is nothing but the ‘relaunching’ of Rahul Gandhi and not for the common people, Dalits and backward classes. Siddaramaiah has been accompanying such a yatra. What was your status and now where are you? See for yourself,” he added.

Terming Congress as a “sinking ship”, Bommai said that those who were on that side (Congress) are coming to this side (BJP) and there are indications about it.

“Congress Party while in power never thought about Dalits and backward classes and now they have come to Raichur as their ‘Yuvaraj’ has been on Bharat Jodo yatra. They are scared whether the crowd will gather. The Congress claims that reservation for SC/ST was their contribution,” Bommai added.

Alleging that Congress never mulled over hiking reservations for the SC/ST communities in the state, the Chief Minister said that the party did not have the “common sense of uplifting them”.

“Now, the incumbent BJP government, with the blessings of Yediyurappa has hiked the quota for them and the Congress Party was claiming the credit for it. They had promised many bhagyas but what they had given has been ‘durbhagya’ (misery) to the SC/ST communities,” he said.

Notably, the Karnataka Cabinet on Saturday unanimously agreed to hike reservation for the Scheduled Castes from 15 per cent to 17 per cent and for Scheduled Tribes from 3 per cent to 7 per cent in the state and the state government will issue a gazette notification in this regard.

The Chief Minister said the people’s aspiration has increased due to the awareness of education and employment
“No one must talk negatively on hiking the quota for SC/ST as these communities had suffered a lot in the last 50-60 years due to denial of justice. Those who speak against it are anti-SC/ST. Several communities have put forth demands. While some have sought inclusion of their community in SC, others in 3B, 2A and backward classes.

The people’s aspiration has increased due to the awareness of education and employment. All their demands will be studied as per recommendations of law commissions and needful action will be taken,” he said.