Yeddyurappa hosting Dalit families is a political gimmick: CM

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today described as a “political gimmick’ the BJP state President B S Yeddyurappa hosting Dalit families at his residence.

“It is just a political gimmick, it is a drama,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here in response to a question.

When said that Yeddyurappa has clarified that the event has nothing to do with politics, he said … then why he did not do it when he was the Chief Minister, while in power? Why did not he go to their (Dalits) houses and hear their difficulties and pain, then? Why did not he formulate programmes for their upliftment”, he asked.

“Did he give even a single Dalit leader good portfolio? See these are all political gimmicks. He is doing it for 2018 elections, but people will understand (the truth),” the Chief Minister said.

Yeddyurappa had yesterday hosted 33 Dalit families from across the state at his residence here, as a mark of gratitude to their hospitality during his state wide tour.
Considered as an attempt to woo Dalit votes, the families were served with lunch along with gifts besides arranging for sightseeing in the city.

As part of his “Janasamparka yatra” and drought study tour across the state in May, Yeddyurappa along with other leaders partook of breakfast at dalits houses across the state.

The former Chief Minister had quoted controversy during this state wide tour as it was alleged that he had breakfast brought from a nearby hotel instead of what was homemade, which drew flak from both the Congress and JD(S).