BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy has said that B.R. Ambedkar gave reservation to SCs, STs and not any Congress leader. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy has urged AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to expel Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi from his party for his stand on reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.Mr. Narayanaswamy was addressing BJP workers who were staging a protest in Raichur on Wednesday against Rahul Gandhi for his recent statement on the issue.Mr. Narayanaswamy said that reservation for SCs and STs was given by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, not by any Congress leader. “And, it is being continued because of various reasons,” he added.“But Rahul Gandhi has spoken about cancellation of reservation. The BJP refused to give ticket to the former Union Minister Ananthkumar Hegde to contest the Lok Sabha elections this time after he made a statement on the issue of changing the Constitution. Therefore, I demand Mr. Kharge, without him giving a chance for the community people to doubt his credentials, to expel Rahul Gandhi from the Congress and show his commitment to the SCs and STs,” he said.Congress double standardsMr. Narayanaswamy attacked the Congress government for its double standards saying that BJP MLA Munirathna was arrested within a few hours after a case was booked against him for giving a statement on caste whereas Congress MLA Channareddy Patil Tunnur has not been arrested still, in the case of the death of a Sub-Inspector in Yadgir, though he has been named as an accused in the atrocities case.He questioned the silence of Dalit leaders in the Congress on the grant of ₹25,000 crore reserved under Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan/Tribal Sub-Plan being misused by the Siddaramaiah government. However, why the Dalit leaders in the Congress are still maintaining silence and are not ready to speak on it, he asked.Land for KhandresMeanwhile, speaking to the media, Mr. Narayanaswamy said that the State government has given a large tract of land to the family of Minister Eshwar Khandre.“Why is such an extent of government land given to them? Even if a small measure of land is given to Dalits and backward classes, they are evicted. The BJP will take up this issue during the House session supported by proper documents,” he said.Kalaburagi dramaCriticising the Congress government for not taking up any development work, he said that the Congress played out a drama during the Cabinet meeting in Kalaburagi on Tuesday saying that funds will be released for the region. But people are criticising the Ministers on social media asking them to fill the 5,000 potholes in Kalaburagi, not to worry about bringing any grant, he said.Hindus targetedThe Leader of Opposition also said that the Congress has indulged in violence in Nagamangala during the Ganesh idol procession. Hindu families were targeted there. Shops belonging to them were torched. Petrol bombs were thrown. What were people from Kerala and West Bengal doing there? he asked the Congress.“I personally visited Nagamangala for inspection, after the violence. We are not like the Congress which creates such tension in the State,” he said. Published – September 18, 2024 07:08 pm IST