BJP raising Ram temple issue to mask its failures: Siddaramaiah

Mangaluru: Lashing out at BJP, former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday, December 3 said that the saffron party is raising the Ram Temple issue merely to mask its failures.

Speaking at “Connect 2018”, a convention organised jointly by the Sunni Students Federation, the Karnataka Cultural Forum and the Sunni Yuvajana Sangha at Nehru Maidan here Siddaramaiah urged people to see through the tactics of the saffron party, which he alleged was indulging in votebank politics by raking Ram temple issue to win the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Recalling a controversial statement made by a minister from the opposition party with regards to our Constitution, Siddaramaiah said that people should cast their votes for those who are committed to protecting the Constitution.

Regarding allegations that his government favoured only one community by granting more funds, Siddaramaiah clarified that he did not regret his decision of enhancing the funds, granted to minorities from the earlier Rs 4 crore to Rs 3,100 crore. 

“The decision was taken in accordance with the provisions of our Constitution that mandates equal treatment of all castes and communities and not for minority appeasement,” he said adding that the grants were less when compared to the minority community population.  “If I was in still in power, I would further raise it to Rs 10,000 crore,” he said.