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Bengaluru, Sep 9 (Language) Karnataka Senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad on Saturday said that some people who wear Hublot watches with dhoti cannot claim to be socialists and no one like Devraj Urs (former politician known for social reforms) One cannot be as the Chief Minister by sitting in his car. His comment is seen as an indirect attack on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Although Harihaprasad did not take anyone’s name during his speech, it was clear from the references he gave that his target was Siddaramaiah.
He also expressed displeasure that the Congress did not consider a Dalit leader like G Parameshwar (Home Minister in the current government) for the post of Chief Minister and a leader like Satish Jarkiholi, who hails from a Scheduled Tribe, for the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
Legislative councilor (MLC) Hariprasad is believed to be angry for some time at not being included in the state cabinet. He was addressing a conference of “like-minded most backward classes” like Adiga, Bilawa, Namdhari and Diwara and other communities.
Siddaramaiah, unwilling to react to Hariprasad’s statement, told reporters in Dharwad, “Has he taken my name? …I normally won’t react to statements made.”
Taking a dig at party leaders who repeatedly raised the name of former Chief Minister Devraj Urs, known for his social reforms, without naming anyone, Hariprasad said his grandson has not even become an MLC.
He said, “Nobody can become Devraj Urs by sitting in Devraj Urs car, work should be done to implement his thinking and his ideologies.”
Siddaramaiah had last month unveiled the statue of Devaraj Urs at the Vidhana Soudha Complex (Legislative Complex) on the occasion of his 108th birth anniversary and then rode in his famous black Mercedes Benz car.
Siddaramaiah was embroiled in a controversy over a diamond-encrusted Hublot watch when he was the Chief Minister in 2016. On this, he had clarified that the watch was given to him as a gift by Dr. Girish Chandra Verma, a cardiologist residing in Dubai. Siddaramaiah had reportedly handed over the watch, worth Rs 70 lakh, to the then Assembly Speaker and asked him to make it state property.
This is not the first time that Hariprasad has targeted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Even earlier in July, he had commented on ministerial and chief ministerial posts that had made both the party and Siddaramaiah uncomfortable.
Legislative Council Leader of Opposition Hariprasad and Siddaramaiah are from other backward classes. Both belong to the Ediga and Kuruba communities respectively.
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