On the other hand, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi targeted the PM and said, ‘Should I also start now? Say, Nara-e Takbeer Allah Hu Akbar… Media people will go against us, breaking news will be made. If he is doing this as the Prime Minister, then what message is he giving. The issue raised by the Congress, if I had raised it… Congress should tell what is its stand on Babri Masjid, Hijab, UAPA? In such a situation, further know the condition of a backward area of Karnataka, it will be understood in which direction the election has turned. There is neither a school nor a house in this area, but the temple is being talked about.
Would you like it if a small man is also abused? Does Karnataka forgive abusers? What will you (guys) do this time? will you punish them? Will you punish the abusers? When you press the button in the polling station, punish them by saying ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’.
PM Modi (at a rally against Congress)
Owaisi said, what secularism is this?
Owaisi enumerates issues for Karnataka elections, says that Muslims have been removed from Indian politics, this is also an issue. There are many issues like hijab, equity, development, inflation, corruption, but they are not being discussed. Owaisi said, ‘… I believe in the secularism of the constitution. But what kind of secularism is this? The Prime Minister of the country Modi is saying that when you cast your vote, cast your vote by raising the slogan of Bajrang Bali. You tell which secularism is this. Meanwhile, Congress state president DK Shivakumar announced that if the Congress comes to power, we will build more Hanuman temples. Owaisi attacked this too. He said, ‘If I say in my speech that the people of Karnataka go to vote on the 10th, then raise the slogan of Allah-hu-Akbar and press the button… then the media people will start saying that Owaisi has taken him there.’ Owaisi’s reference was only towards polarisation.
What did the Congress say, the BJP caught on
Before understanding the situation on the ground, know what the Congress had said that the BJP caught on. The Congress, in its manifesto, said it was determined to take strong action against individuals and organizations promoting hatred between communities on the basis of caste and religion. It wrote, ‘No person or Bajrang Dal, PFI and other organizations spreading hatred, whether among the majority or among the minorities, can violate the law and the constitution. We will take strict action along with banning such organizations under the law. The PM started besieging the Congress on this issue in the rallies. He said, ‘Today it is my good fortune to bow down to the holy land of Hanuman ji, but see the misfortune, when I have come to bow down to Hanuman ji, at the same time Congress has decided to lock Bajrangbali in the manifesto.’ The Congress has alleged that the Prime Minister has hurt the sentiments of devotees of Bajrangbali by comparing Lord Hanuman ji with an organisation.
Ground Report: It is important to know the bitter truth too
The Indian Express reports that the area around Tipu Sultan Park in the city in Karnataka’s backward Raichur district has been explored. Abhay Kumar, the leader of the Union of Agricultural Laborers (Grameena Koolikarmikara Sanghatane) is on hunger strike here. He is demanding supply of drinking water and MNREGA jobs in the villages. Many women are also involved in the Protest along with them. It’s been two days and the election in the state is only four days away. Many officers are trying to meet them to stop the Protest. The influence of this union is in 21 villages. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, this union had run the NOTA campaign. The effect of this was that NOTA got 14000 votes and remained at number three.
In this backward Raichur, NREGA is a major source of income for the poor, especially women. From here, hundreds of workers go to Bengaluru, Mangaluru for construction work. The state government is not able to give the benefit of guaranteed job scheme in many villages here. These villagers are angry. The condition of the two most backward districts of Karnataka – Raichur and Yadgir is that a large number of educated youth are unemployed in the villages. It includes 11 assembly constituencies. A worker told that we work hard to educate our children so that they do not have to struggle like us but they do not get jobs. In such circumstances, under compulsion, they also come to the city to do construction work with us.
Mamdapur village is at a distance of about 10 km from Raichur city. Here women still have to walk about 4 km to get drinking water. There is neither a school nor any bus comes here. In such a situation, children are not able to study. However, religious noise is being heard across the state at this time. Karnataka is currently ruled by the BJP and before that the Congress was in power.