'Never indulged in vindictive politics, will not do in future too': Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

NEW DELHI: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah made a fervent denial of engaging in vindictive politics on Saturday, asserting that neither he nor his government would resort to such practices in the future. He directed accusations towards the BJP, accusing them of fostering such divisive tactics.

Siddaramaiah's remarks came in response to criticism from the BJP and JD(S) regarding the Congress-led government's alleged involvement in vindictive politics, particularly concerning the recent arrest warrant issued against former CM B S Yediyurappa in a POCSO case.

JD(S) leader and Union minister H D Kumaraswamy contended that the Congress government was targeting the Yediyurappa family, akin to their previous targeting of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's family.

Addressing reporters in Bangalore, Siddaramaiah rebuked these allegations by asking, "When they (BJP) booked cases against us, was it not targeting?" He cited instances such as cases against himself, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, and Rahul Gandhi, emphasizing the BJP's culpability in what he termed as "vindictive politics."

The Karnataka High Court's decision on Friday to restrain the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) from arresting Yediyurappa in connection with the POCSO case further intensified the political discourse in the state. Yediyurappa has been directed to appear before CID on June 17 for investigation into the case, which involves allegations of sexual harassment made by the mother of a 17-year-old girl.

Commenting on the recent expansion of the Union Cabinet, particularly the appointment of eight MPs from South India as ministers, Siddaramaiah dismissed it as a futile attempt by Prime Minister Modi to bolster BJP's presence in the region. He maintained that the people of South India would not support the BJP due to its association with the RSS.

Siddaramaiah also addressed concerns regarding the conduct of the NEET exam, advocating for a thorough investigation into alleged injustices and advocating for a re-examination. Additionally, he affirmed plans to conduct Zilla and Taluk Panchayat polls expeditiously in response to a query.

As Karnataka navigates through these political complexities, Siddaramaiah's remarks underscore the contentious nature of the state's political landscape.

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