BJP has separated Lord Ram from Sita, says CM Siddaramaiah

PTI, Jan 24, 2024, 8:23 PM IST

Source: PTI / File

Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of playing politics in the name of Lord Ram, and said that the saffron party has “separated Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman” from the discourse.

Addressing a gathering at Koppa village in Piyapattana taluk on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah quoted Mahatma Gandhi’s words, “Raghupati Raghava Rajaram, Patita Pavana Sitaram,” emphasizing the inclusive worship of Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman alongside Lord Ram. He alleged that the BJP’s focus on Lord Ram alone was a political tactic.

“We believe in Lord Ram as described by Mahatma Gandhi. Along with Lord Ram we also worship, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman. We address them as Sitarama. The BJP is doing politics in the name of Lord Ram. That’s why Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman have been separated – Only Rama has been kept,” he said.

Siddaramaiah also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the alleged unfulfilled promises, particularly the unmet commitment of creating two crore jobs. He claimed that Modi had diverted attention by bringing issue of Lord Ram into the forefront, neglecting discussions on essential issues such as the prices of petrol, diesel, and fertilizer.

The Chief Minister accused the BJP of misleading the public by using Hinduism as a political tool, citing the inauguration of a Ram Mandir as an example.

“BJP is fooling the people… Do we not worship Ram? Shall we not do Rama Bhajan? In Dhanurmas, I used to get up in the morning and go to the temple to sing Rama Bhajan. Earlier, I inaugurated a Ram Mandir in Bengaluru.  I shouted slogans of Shree Ram Jai Shri Ram,” he said defending his credentials as a devout Hindu.

Siddaramaiah questioned the BJP’s commitment to farmers, pointing out the drought in 213 taluks of the state. Despite a drought study conducted by the central government, he claimed that no relief funds had been provided.

“Even though the central government has conducted a drought study, they have not provided a single rupee of relief. I, myself, have met Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah and requested a meeting. They said they would hold a meeting on December 23. Now, even on January 23, the meeting has not taken place. Does BJP really care about farmers?” he questioned the BJP.

The Chief Minister concluded by asserting that the Congress government had delivered on its promises during its tenure, unlike the BJP.
“When the Congress government was in power, we walked the talk. Did BJP do what they promised? BJP doesn’t do what it says. Congress does what it says,” he said. He urged the public not to trust the emotional appeals made by the BJP during elections.