Cong files complaint against min after 'finish off Siddaramaiah' remark

BENGALURU: Karnataka Congress on Thursday filed a complaint against state IT and Higher Education minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan for allegedly urging people to 'finish off' Congress leader Siddaramaiah like Tipu Sultan at Malleshwaram police station.

Reacting the minister's remark on Thursday, the former Karnataka chief minister dared Ashwath Narayan to get a gun for himself and not instigate people.

"Higher Education Minister @drashwathcn has appealed people to kill me like how Tipu was killed. Aswath Narayan, Why are you trying to instigate people? Get the gun yourself," tweeted Siddaramaiah.

Speaking at a public event, the Karnataka minister had exhorted people to 'finish off' Siddaramaiah the way two Vokkaliga chieftains -- Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda -- had killed 17th-century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan.

Hitting out at the BJP leader, the former CM said love and friendship cannot be expected from leaders of a party that "worships the murderer of Mahatma Gandhi".

"I am not surprised by @drashwathcn's call to kill me. How can we expect love and friendship from the leaders of the party that worships the murderer of Mahatma Gandhi?" tweeted Siddaramaiah.

Questioning the Basavaraj Bommai government's silence in the matter, he claimed that it only goes to show that the present CM endorses Narayan's statement.

"It is surprising that no action has been taken against a minister who has openly appealed to people to kill. This shows that @CMofKarnataka, @BSBommai, Home Minister @JnanendraAraga and their incompetent cabinet is sleeping and is in agreement with Ashwath Narayan," he tweeted.

Demanding the sacking and arrest of the BJP minister for his remark, the former CM tweeted, "@CMofKarnataka @BSBommai should immediately initiate action to sack him from the cabinet & arrest. 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'."

A war of words has erupted between the Congress and the ruling BJP ahead of the Assembly polls in Karnataka before May 2023.