Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai hits back at Randeep Surjewala on his '420 Bommai govt' comment

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday hit back at the State Congress in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala over his "420 Bommai government" comment on reservations.

The CM told reporters here that the Congress leaders have used words like "illegal" and "anti-Constitutional" for giving the reservation.

Dr. Ambedkar had made a provision in the Constitution to give the reservation based on population. Accordingly, the state government fulfilled the long pending demand of SC/ST communities and recommended including it in the ninth schedule of the Constitution, CM Bommai stated reacting to AICC General Secretary and Congress Spokesperson Randip Singh Surjewala's tweet on the reservation.

He further stated that the Congress did not have faith in Dr B.R. Ambedkar or on the Constitution written by him.

Surjewala had stated on social media, "BJP is now Betrayal the Janata Party. RESERVATIONS- The "Con Job on Reservations" of the ace420 Bommai Government" to further its manipulative politics of creating animosity, discord and conflict is clear."

CM Bommai said the Congress did not do anything for the SC/ST communities during its tenure and used them as a vote bank. They are lying that the Justice Nagamohan Das Commission report was submitted four years ago. The truth is that the commission was given a six months extension by the B.S.Yediyurappa Government.

"During my regime, an all-party meeting was convened and took assent. Later, a decision in favor of the SC/ST communities was taken in the State Cabinet. The government issued an order for including it in the ninth schedule", he maintained.

Taking the Congress to task for alleging that the BJP was not following social justice, Bommai termed the Congress Party "anti-Dalit, backward, lingayats, and vokkaligas". It was the BJP government that ensured justice for all.

Reacting to the Congress leader's statement that they would withdraw the order on reservation once they come to power, the CM said the question of Congress returning to power does not arise. They did not have the strength or the opportunity to do it. That statement needs to be condemned in strongest terms. The Congress leaders were shaken after seeing the works of the BJP government, he said.