Reacting sharply to the statement of Kalaburagi MP Umesh Jadhav that the law and order situation has collapsed in the district since the Congress came to power, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge has said that the district registered 28 murders during the BJP rule.
Addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi on Tuesday, Mr. Kharge said that Dr. Jadhav is mentioning about the 13 murders reported in the district during the Congress rule, but most of the accused are his close aides and followers.
Citing a few examples, Mr. Kharge said that in 2022-23 Gujarat reported 2,209 cases of rape and 36 cases of gang rape. He said that ABVP activists gheraoed the car of Dakshina Kannada MP Naleen Kumar Kateel following the death of BJP Yuva Morcha member Praveen Nettaru in Bellare of Dakshina Kannada.
An incident of stone-throwing and rioting between two groups at Ladle Mashak Dargah in Aland town was reported in 2022. All these incidents were reported during BJP rule and they can be referred to as disturbance of law and order, he said.
However, puja at Raghava Chaitanya Shivalinga and special prayers at Ladle Mashak Dargah were performed peacefully without any untoward incidents under the Congress rule, Mr. Kharge added.
‘Apple of Jadhav’s eye’
Terming the BJP leader Manikanth Rathod as the apple of Dr. Jadhav’s eye, Mr. Kharge said that Mr. Rathod, who tried to portray his accident as an attack, has suddenly disappeared from the district. “Where is the apple of Dr. Jadhav’s eye,” he asked.
Mr. Kharge asked Dr. Jadhav to set mud-slinging aside and talk about development. All the Central government projects sanctioned for Kalaburagi district during the UPA-led Congress government were withdrawn by the Modi-led government. Dr. Jadhav failed to convince the Centre to sanction projects, which shows his incompetence, the Minister added.
Dr. Jadhav, who speaks about protocol, should himself learn about protocol. Recently, Dr. Jadhav laid foundation stone for service roads on either side of the Ring Road in the presence of a few BJP local leaders. Not even a single official was present. However, Dr. Jadhav should know that the foundation stone laid for the project has not been approved, Mr. Kharge said.
Responding to Namo Brigade event held recently, in which the right-wing activist Chakravarti Sulibele addressed a gathering in Chittapur town, Mr. Kharge said that he did not want to comment about hired speakers.
“The BJP leaders are not able to digest the development works being taken up in the district. Criticising me has become a full-time business for even BJP State leaders like R. Ashok,” Mr. Kharge said.
Later, Mr. Kharge inspected preparations going on for the inaugural of development works and a convention of beneficiaries of the guarantee schemes to be held on Nutan Vidyalaya Grounds here on Wednesday.
All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will inaugurate development works worth ₹1,330 crore on the occasion.
