Vijayapura, Oct 20 (Agency) Reacting to State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel’s remarks calling Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a drug addict and drug peddler, former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa Wednesday asked the BJP leaders not to disrespect any political leader. “No one should speak like that. I will talk to Kateel and ask him in what context did he make such a statement. There is no need for anyone to make such comments. Rahul Gandhi like anyone else has self-respect and one should not speak with disrespect to anyone,” he told reporters here. In the morning, BJP leader Ganesh Karnik said there is no need for the Congress to take objection to Kateel’s remarks because he was just referring to a media report published in 2016. “It was not a personal remark made by Kateel, but he was referring to the media report where BJP leader Subramanian Swamy made a statement linking Rahul Gandhi to drugs,” he said.
Karnik said it was Swamy who had made the statement that Rahul Gandhi was allegedly caught by Federal Bureau of Investigation officials for holding USD 1.60 lakh and white powder in the US in 2001. “It was then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee rang up the then US President George Bush and got Rahul Gandhi released. Vajpayee ji had called the US President on Sonia Gandhi’s request,” Karnik said quoting Swamy. On JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy comments on RSS, Yediyurappa said the JDS is dreaming about winning Karnataka bypolls by launching a tirade against RSS. “This will not fetch JDS victory in the bypolls. People know what is right and what is wrong. They will show who is right by electing two of our candidates in Sindagi and Hanagal,” he said. Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said both Congress and JDS are indulging in maligning RSS with an eye on minority votes ahead of Sindagi and Hanagal bypolls. He said RSS is an organisation founded by nationalists and they are working selflessly for the cause of upholding the unity, integrity and the ethos of the nation.