Courting Dalits in Mysuru, Amit Shah faces tough crowd

Accusing BJP president Amit Shah of violating the election code of conduct for allegedly giving Rs 5 lakh to a deceased party worker s family Karnataka Congress working president Dinesh Gundu Rao today demanded his externment from the state.Rejecting the claims BJP has said that Shah did not give any money to Raju s family. Amit Shah should not come to Karnataka as his intentions are very clear- to vitiate the election atmosphere and to violate the law. Today s incident is the best example for it Rao told reporters here.Hitting out at Shah for visiting Raju s family after the poll dates being announced he said during the visit Rs 5 lakh was given to the family.. it is clear as the mother (Raju s mother) has given a statement that they were given Rs 5 lakh. Raju a BJP activist was killed in Mysuru in March 2016 leading to tension in the area.Calling it a clear case of violation of the election code of conduct Rao said it is a grave offence as they have given money during the election. Also I have got information that attempts have been made to control the media. Congress will immediately file a complaint with electoral officers he said adding that the Election Commission should stop Amit Shah from coming to Karnataka. ...his malicious intentions tactics the unlawful activities that he is indulging in shows that he is behaving like a criminal Rao alleged. Pointing out that both Shah and Yeddurappa had been to jail in the past Rao said the EC should take action against Yeddyurappa. Amit Shah should be externed he said. He should not be allowed to enter Karnataka Rao said.Shah who is touring Mysuru as part of his Karunada Jagruti Yatre ahead of the May 12 assembly elections today visited Raju s residence and consoled his family.He was accompanied by BJP state President B S Yeddyurappa Union Minister Ananth Kumar Member of Parliament from Mysuru Pratap Simha among others.As news of Rs 5 lakh being reportedly given to Raju s family was aired in the media Pratap Simha rejected the claims in a tweet. Dear Channels @AmitShah ji did not give any money to Raju s family he only asked how much compensation we gave on behalf of the party n it was 5 lakh he said. Mysuru: Stepping into the home turf of Chief Minister Sidddaramaiah BJP President Amit Shah on Friday told him that his time has come to an end and he would be mistaken if he thought that saffron ideology could be stalled by unleashing violence against BJP and RSS workers.Mr Shah began his fourth round of visit to the poll-bound Karnataka with a tour of old Mysuru areas asserting that Siddaramaiah and JDS would receive the biggest shock of their lives from the region in the May 12 assembly polls. It is said that the BJP is a bit weak here (Old Mysuru region) but after seeing the work of the party workers I expect Siddaramaiahji and the JD(S) to get the biggest shock of their lives from this (Old) Mysuru region he told a party convention.Amit Shah is presently covering the districts of Mysuru Chamarajanagara Mandya and Ramanagara where BJP had not won even a single seat in the previous election.The principal challenger to the ruling Congress is JDS in these districts.Referring to his gaffe at Davanagere earlier this week Mr Shah said though he had committed a mistake in his speech while referring to Siddaramaiah s corruption people of the state would not do the same because they knew Siddaramaiah s rule well. Siddaramaiah and Rahul Gandhi were very happy over my gaffe while speaking about Siddaramaiah s corruption. I had made a mistake but the people of Karnataka will not make it because they have understood Siddaramaiah s government very well he said.In a slip of the tongue at a press conference at Davanagere while attacking the Siddaramaiah dispensation as the most corrupt one Amit Shah had said the Yeddyurappa government would get the number one award in corruption.He had however corrected himself after being prompted by BJP lawmaker Prahlad Joshi who was seated next to him.Mr Shah also accused Siddaramaiah of playing with Karnataka s pride by not celebrating the jayanti of noted Kannada poet Kuvempu or renowned engineer Sir M Vishveswaraiah. Siddaramaiah only remembers to celebrate the jayanti of Tipu Sultan (the 18th-century ruler of Mysore) to get votes he said.Amit Shah also met the Wadiyar royal family of Mysuru today at their private palace triggering speculations about their support or joining the BJP.According to sources during the closed door meeting with the royal family scion or the present titular Maharaja - Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and Rajamata Pramoda Devi Wadiyar Amit Shah reportedly discussed various issues including politics.Amidst speculations in the media Yaduveer the 27th King of the Wadiyar dynasty recently ruled out his political entry. I have told several times that I m not interested in politics. There is no chance at all of me joining any party. I m not interested in politics. Through social work we will continue our relationship with the public he said.The BJP president also said that his party if voted to power would make efforts to hunt down the killers of RSS and BJP workers in Karnataka and hand out the most severe punishment to them. I would like to tell the people of the state that Siddaramaiah s time has come to an end. Soon after BJP forms the next government under Yeddyurappa s leadership it will make all efforts to hunt down killers (of RSS and BJP workers) from any corner of the world he said.Mr Shah was speaking to reporters after meeting the family of BJP worker Raju who was hacked to death in March 2016. They will be sent to jail and handed out stringent punishment he added. In politics there is no room for violence. If Siddaramaiah and his government think they can stall our ideology from spreading then he is mistaken he said.Continuing BJP s bid to reach out to the prominent Lingayat community Amit Shah began his fourth leg of Karnataka visit by meeting it s prominent pontiff at Suttur Mutt in Mysuru. Took blessings of Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji of Sri Suttur Math in Mysuru he tweeted after his meeting with the seer. Took blessings of Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji of Sri Suttur Math in Mysuru. Swami ji has made significant efforts towards spreading the values of Indian culture & tradition worldwide. I also admire Matha s role in providing education to the poor in rural Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/SG813sBFB2 Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 30 2018The BJP president had begun his third leg of tour on March 26 by seeking blessings of 111-year old Sri Shivakumara Swami of Siddhaganga Mutt in Tumakuru a revered seer of the Lingayat community. CommentsThe meeting with the Lingayat seers is being seen as an attempt to reach out to the Lingayats / Veerashaivas who are numerically and politically powerful in the state and form a major voter base for the BJP.The visit assumes significance as it comes in the backdrop of the Siddaramaiah government s move to recommend the centre to accord a religious minority tag to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats in an attempt to wean away a section of them from the BJP. MYSURU: Citing the alleged anti-Hindu stance of the Congress and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah BJP national president Amit Shah launched a vocal attack on the incumbent government of going soft on the killers of H Raju the RSS worker who was murdered in 2016. I strongly condemn the acts of violence against the RSS and BJP activists in Karnataka since 2013 after the Siddaramaiah government came to power in the state. There is no room for violence based on political ideology he said. Making the BJP s intent clear that the Hindutva agenda will be an issue which will be a poll pitch at the 2018 elections Shah said: If Siddaramaiah and the Congress party believe that by use of violence they can stop the flow of our ideology then they are living in a dream world. Shah said that the modus operandi of 22 of the 24 murders were similar to that of its youth leader Raju and yet the state police has not acted upon it and brought the culprits to book. Hinting at the decision of Congress government withdrawing cases against popular front of India (PFI) and KFD as being the prime reason for encouraging the killings Shah said the killers are roaming scot free in the state. Today by way of withdrawing cases going slow on prosecution and helping them evade the law the killers are being encouraged and continue to roam free said Shah. The BJP state president said the BJP will go to the depths of the earth and bring the killers to book and jail them when the BJP comes to power. I only want to tell the people and our BJP workers that the countdown for Siddaramaiah and his government has begun and when we come to power the killers will be hunted from pathal (underground) and put behind bars he said. Shah s visit to Raju s home comes in the backdrop of his visit to the murder spot of Vishwanath Shetty in Shivamogga city where a mega rally was held earlier this week. BJP and Congress in Karnataka approached the Election Commission on Friday accusing each other s leaders of violating the model code of conduct by paying money to woo voters. Congress found fault with BJP national president Amit Shah and CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa for offering financial aid to the family of a party worker murdered two years ago. BJP said chief minister Siddaramaiah gave Rs 2 000 each to two women who welcomed him at Chamundeshwari the constituency from where he is expected to contest the upcoming election alleging that it amounted to bribery . BJP also objected to Congress leader giving Rs 2 000 in cash to a temple priest. Though the fact is circulated in all electronic and print media the concerned officials have not taken action the BJP s complaint said. Congress in its complaint to the commission said Shah visited the slain youth s family along with Yeddyurappa Union minister Anantkumar and Mysuru MP Pratap Simha and handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh in gross violation of the model code . The youth was killed at a communally sensitive area of Kyathmaranahalli in the Narasimharaja assembly constituency in Mysuru over a disputed place of worship. His mother said Shah promised to give her Rs 5 lakh as compensation and that her son s case would be handed over to NIA once BJP comes to power in Karnataka . ALSO READ Amit Shah accuses Congress of dividing Hindus in K taka Amit Shah pitches to change politics of violence in Tripura Not waived off loans for any industrialist Rahul is lying : Amit Shah PM Modi Amit Shah meet CMs of BJP-ruled states BJP chief blames Congress for OBC Nirav Modi scams span.p-content div id = div-gpt line-height:0;font-size:0 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Friday constituted a four-member committee to visit the violence-hit areas in West Bengal s Asansol and submit a report in the regard.BJP leader O.M. Mathur Shahnawaz Hussain Roopa Ganguly and B.D. Mathur have been selected to do the job. The Ram Navami celebrations on March 25 had turned sour after clashes erupted in various parts of Bengal leaving three dead and several injured.On March 28 the Centre sought a report from the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on incidents of arson and violence.In addition Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asserted that such behaviour was unacceptable in her state and that her government would strongly deal with each miscreant.Following the continued violence Section 144 was imposed in Asansol on March 28.(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mysuru: BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said his party if voted to power would make efforts to hunt down the killers of RSS and BJP workers in Karnataka and hand out severest of punishment to them. I would like to tell the people of the state that Siddaramaiah s time has come to an end. Soon after the BJP forms the next government under Yeddyurappa s leadership it will make all efforts to hunt down the killers (of RSS and BJP workers) from any corner of the world he said. File image of BJP chief Amit Shah. PTI Shah was speaking to reporters after meeting the family members of BJP worker Raju who was hacked to death in March 2016. They will be sent to jail and handed out stringent punishment he added. Shah said Siddaramaiah was mistaken if he and his government thought they could stall the saffron ideology from spreading by unleashing violence against BJP and RSS workers. In politics there is no room for violence. If Siddaramaiah and his government think they can stall our ideology from spreading then he is mistaken he said. Shah alleged that police were not initiating any action against those who killed as many as 22 BJP and RSS workers across Karnataka. He alleged that the Siddaramaiah government has been releasing jailed killers and they have been given opportunity once again to kill people. ALSO READ Will track murderers of BJP activists from abyss: Amit Shah Amit Shah meets Karnataka s 110-year-old Lingayat seer PM Modi Amit Shah meet CMs of BJP-ruled states Amit Shah unfurls national flag at BJP office in Delhi BJP is an ideology says Amit Shah span.p-content div id = div-gpt line-height:0;font-size:0 BJP in Karnataka has made efforts to give a royal touch for its prospects in the May 12 assembly polls in the state with its national President Amit Shah meeting the Wadiyar royal familyof Mysuru today.Shah who is touring old Mysuru region met the erstwhile royal family at their private palace here triggering speculations about their supporting or joining the BJP. According to sources during the closed door meeting with the scion of royal family or the present titularMaharaja- Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and RajamataPramoda Devi Wadiyar Shah reportedly discussed various issues including politics.He is also said to have expressed his admiration for the progressive and pro-people work by the royal familyand the erstwhile Maharajas during their rule in the past.State BJP Chief B S Yedyurappa Union Minister Ananth Kumar and Member of Parliament from Mysuru Pratap Simha were present along with Shah during the meeting. Had a wonderful meeting with Maharaja Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar Rajamatha Pramoda Devi Wadiyarand Maharani Trishika Kumari Devi of the Royal Family of Mysuru Shah said in a tweet after the meeting with pictures. It was nice to see Yuvraj Adyaveer Narasimha Wadiyar too! he said in another tweet sharing a picture of him alongwith Yaduveer and the infant prince .Amidst speculations in the media Yaduveer the27th King of the Wadiyar dynasty had recently ruled outhis political entry. I have told several times that I m not interested in politics. There is no chance at all about me joining any party. I m not interested in politics. Through social work we will continue our relationship with the public he said.Though it is not clear what transpired at the meeting BJP s move is however seen as an attempt by the party to muster more support in the region where the party had not wona single seat in the previous election.The royal family still commands considerable respectand affection in the old Mysuru region.Also politics is not something new to the Mysururoyal family. The previous scion Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar represented Mysuru Parliamentary constituencyfour times and had lost once.Srikantadatta mostly remained with the Congress but also had a short stint with the BJP.Srikantadatta s father Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar the last Maharaja of Mysuru held the position of Rajpramukh/Governor after independence.(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi: In the wake of violence over Ram Navami processions in West Bengal BJP chief Amit Shah on Friday constituted a four-member committee comprising senior party leaders who would visit the state and submit a report to him in this regard. File image of BJP president Amit Shah. Twitter@AmitShah Shah condemned the violence in Asansol in West Bengal and said such incidents are unfortunate and painful the saffron party said in a statement. The four-member committee the BJP chief formed comprises the party s national vice-president Om Mathur spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain and two MPs Roopa Ganguly and VD Ram. The committee members will visit the state and submit a report to Shah the statement said. Earlier the BJP had hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the incidents of violence in the state and accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo of doing politics while the state was burning. A clash had broken out between two groups over a Ram Navami procession at Raniganj near Asansol on Monday. One person was allegedly hacked to death while a deputy commissioner of police had lost a hand after being hit by a bomb.