In poll-bound Karnataka, BJP minister says, ‘finish off Siddaramaiah’

Siddaramaiah, Congress leader

Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Thursday accused Karnataka Minister C N Ashwath Narayan of trying to ‘instigate' people to kill him, as he took exception to the latter's statement that he should be ‘finished off' like the 18th century ruler of erstwhile Mysuru Kingdom, Tipu Sultan.

"Has Gujarat BJP culture crept into Karnataka BJP as well?" he asked while seeking to know whether PM Modi will remain silent even now "just as he was in 2002 (Gujarat riots)". "Kannadigas will never let Karnataka to become like Gujarat."

Urging Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to immediately sack Narayan from the cabinet and arrest him, Siddaramaiah said, "If no action is taken, it only means that BJP is in agreement with the appeal or they think Ashwath Narayan has become ‘Mentally Unstable".

In Mandya, Narayan had recently said, "Tipu's son Siddaramaiah will come.... Do you want Tipu or Savarkar? Where should we send Tipu Sultan? What did Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda do? You should finish him (Siddaramaiah) off the same way."

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A section in the old Mysuru belt claims that Tipu did not die fighting the British, but was killed by two Vokkaliga chieftains Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda, which has been disputed by some historians.

Narayan later said his statement was not personally directed at Siddaramaiah, and claimed that he only meant defeating electorally and not causing any physical harm. Karnataka Congress on Thursday filed a police complaint against Narayan for his remark.

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