"Those who defended anti-nationals must apologise": Basavaraj Bommai's swipe at Congress
Mar 05, 2024
Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], March 5 : Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Congress for defending those who raised pro-Pakistan slogans in the state Assembly.
Without naming anyone, Bommai said, despite pro-Pakistan sloganeering in the state Assembly, ministers stood by them, he asserted, terming the incident as "unfortunate."
"The media clearly showed some people raising pro-Pakistan slogans but still the ministers stood by them," Bommai said.
Calling the incident and reaction behaviour of Congress leaders "dangerous", Bommai said that it is not right on their part to forget their positions and stand in their support.
"The FSL report came four days ago and the arrests had been made only two days later. The state government targeted the media accusing it of instigation," he added further.
Demanding apologies, he said, "Those who spoke in favour of the anti-nationals must apologise."
Earlier, Basavaraj Bommai demanded a probe by the National Investigation Agency into the raising of pro-Pakistan slogans and the dismissal of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state since "it was not functioning according to the Constitution," he said.
Bommai alleged that the state government protected "anti-nationals".
Talking to reporters after submitting a memorandum to the Governor seeking the dismissal of the Congress government here on Thursday, he said the Congress Party has gone morally bankrupt and the budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been "far from true".
Bommai accused the state government of trying to 'cover-up' the alleged pro-Pakistan slogan incident.
Notably, BJP MLAs staged a protest outside the Vidhan Soudha on Thursday against the state government over various issues including action over the alleged pro-Pak slogan incident.
The BJP legislators earlier stormed the well in the assembly demanding the arrest of those who allegedly raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans.
Notably, as per the complaint filed by the Karnataka BJP, it was alleged that after the returning officer declared that Hussain was elected to the Rajya Sabha, at around 7 pm on February 27, his supporters, who had gathered at the premises of the Vidhana Soudha "at the instance of Hussain, shouted 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans in a loud manner while cheering for Hussain."
