Bengaluru, Feb 16 (Agency) In a bid to consolidate Hindu votes, Karnataka Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan said that Congress leader Siddaramaiah should be defeated just like Vokkaliga chieftains had defeated Tipu Sultan. “Do you want Tipu or Savarkar? Where should we send this Tipu Sultan (Siddaramaiah)? What did Uri Gowda Nanje Gowda do? You should finish him off the same way?” he said, addressing a rally at Mandya on Tuesday. These remarks came on the same day when Karnataka BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel asked people to choose between offspring of Tipu Sultan and devotees of Lord Ram, in the upcoming state elections this year.
“I urge the people to take a pledge and decide whether you want the offspring of Tipu, Ram devotees or Anjaneya devotees in this land. Those who love Tipu should not remain in this land and only those who perform bhajans of Ram should,” he said addressing a rally at Yelburga in Koppal district.Responding to Narayan’s comments, Siddaramaiah questioned whether the BJP minister is a human or a demon. He said “Ashwath Narayan who is higher education minister has spoken about me. You all think about him whether he is a human or a demon? He (Narayan) said the former CM must be defeated like Tipu Sultan. Will you all let that happen? He has said that if Congress comes back to power then it is like Siddaramaiah coming in the place of Tipu.” “But I respect Tipu, Kittur Ranichenamma, Sangolli Rayanna, Basavanna and others also. In fact it was me who gave directions to install Basavanna photos in all government offices, Should I be learning from them? I respect Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and others also,” he said.