Q: The BJP has latched on to the proposed Bajrang Dal ban mentioned in the Congress poll manifesto. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is alleging that Congress wants to lock up Lord Hanuman. Do you think Congress could have avoided mentioning that issue in the manifesto?
See, first let us have clarity on what the Congress manifesto says. It says that the government will take action against any entity like PFI or Bajrang Dal, which tries to disturb law and order in the state. Now, law and order issues are a serious matter and any serious political party must reflect on them. If they (PFI or Bajrang Dal) don’t disrupt law and order, there will be no problem. A manifesto has to relate to the ground-level situation. The mention makes our intentions clear that we believe in the rule of law.
The significant point here is that the mention in our manifesto flows from the recent Supreme Court order directing the states to register an FIR against any hate speech to protect communal harmony. The country must be run by the Constitution. PM Modi’s policies have disrupted social harmony over the past years and he does not clarify his position. As a result, people are unhappy. He has latched on to the Bajrang Dal ban issue as the BJP has nothing to showcase in terms of achievements in Karnataka. The Bajrang Dal issue is not going to help the BJP, which is trying to polarise the voters through the recitals of Hanuman Chalisa. Reading the prayer book is not enough, they have to live up to those values also. All religions propagate peace and not hatred.
Q: The Congress is conducting an aggressive campaign in Karnataka. How do you see the party’s prospects?
I think we are going to have a comfortable majority. I don’t like to guess the numbers, but we will not be dependent on the Janata Dal-Secular as in 2018. At the same time, we are aware of the BJP’s designs and are ready with a plan to counter any attempts to poach our MLAs, as they did in 2019. A comfortable majority for the Congress will not let the BJP launch 'Operation Lotus'.
Q: The Congress is banking on the five promises made to the voters and the assurance of a clean government. Do you think these issues will click with the voters in the state?
Yes, I am sure that the people of Karnataka are going to support us over the five guarantees. The people are fed up with corruption during the BJP rule and want a clean and responsive government, which the Congress is capable of delivering. In 2014 the PM promised Rs 15 lakhs per person from black money retrieved and two crore jobs per year, but forgot about them after coming to power. Now again, the PM is making false promises in Karnataka. He has not learnt any lessons, but the people can see through such hollow promises. The people see that the PM alone is running the BJP campaign in the state while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has been just like a blotting paper. The exodus of BJP leaders recently showed the levels of disquiet in the ruling party and the hope they had from Congress.
Q: Of late, we have been hearing about two strong CM hopefuls in the Congress, state unit chief DK Shiv Kumar and former chief minister K Siddaramaiah. In your view, who is going to be lucky this time?
See, the usual practice in the Congress is that the opinion of the newly elected MLAs is taken before deciding the Chief Minister. I was also elected as Chief Minister through the same process. The same will happen now.
