JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday took issue with Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for convening ‘caste-wise’ meetings in poll-bound Sindgi in North Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters after calling on Suttur Mutt Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swami in Mysuru, Mr. Kumaraswamy sought to counter the Congress leader’s allegations against the JD(S) as a ‘casteist’ party by accusing him of holding ‘caste-wise’ meetings in Sindgi. He raised questions over Mr. Siddaramaiah’s secular credentials, accusing him of only paying lip service to secularism while being casteist in practice.
He said Mr. Siddaramaiah was sitting in a glass house and throwing stones at the houses of others. Before giving advice to others, the Congress leader should set his own house in order, Mr .Kumaraswamy said.
On the one side, Mr. Siddaramaiah propagates a casteless society, but at the same time he convenes meetings of different castes, the JD(S) leader said before accusing the Congress leader of practising caste politics for the sake of securing votes in elections.
Referring to another remark made by Mr. Siddaramaiah on farming, Mr. Kumaraswamy said even he has ploughed land and laboured in the fields. He asked the Congress leader to visit his farm in Bidadi and see for himself the sheep he had reared.
Mr. Siddaramaiah was unable to find fault in his administration and the welfare measures he had undertaken during his tenure as CM. Hence, the Congress leader had stooped to the level of making personal allegations against him, Mr. Kumaraswamy said.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said he will be returning to Sindgi on Monday night and camp in the poll-bound constituency for another two days.
