The Karnataka Assembly proceedings on Tuesday saw the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress sparring over ‘tukde tukde gang’ and ‘Bharat Mata’.
While hitting out at ruling party legislators, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah said that “Bharat Mata is not the property of BJP”. Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, slamming the Congress, called them the “owners” of the “tukde tukde gang”. Siddaramaiah, while making a preliminary submission seeking to move an adjournment motion on the law and order situation in the state, attacked ruling BJP both in the state and Centre for an "undeclared emergency" in the country. He also accused the BJP of undermining the Constitution and democracy,to which Minister KS Eshwarappa referred to the Emergency declared by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and reminded the former Chief Minister that he had opposed it while in the Janata Dal. "We (BJP/RSS workers then) were put behind bars for hailing Bharat Mata and calling ourselves as her sons", Eshwarappa said.
Reacting to this Siddaramaiah said, “Bharat Mata is not your property. You have not taken on lease. All 135 crore Indians are her children.”
