Congress cunningly added 'Secularism', 'Socialism' to Preamble: Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 29 (ANI): Supporting the recent comments by senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Dattatreya Hosabale that 'secularism' and 'socialism' were not part of the Preamble to the Constitution drafted by Dr BR Ambedkar, the Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, on Sunday accused the Congress of 'cunningly' adding these terms.
Addressing a press conference, Ashoka also targeted Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. 'Rahul Gandhi demands a caste census on one hand and talks about secularism on the other. I identify myself as a Vokkaliga. Everyone identifies with their caste. If so, the term 'secular' has no meaning. Let Congress leaders show where the words 'secular' and 'socialist' are in the Constitution written by Dr. BR Ambedkar,' he said.
'Jawaharlal Nehru brought the first amendment. He made a total of 17 amendments. Later, Indira Gandhi made 26 amendments. They amended the original intentions of Baba Saheb. Overall, Congress made 68 amendments. Congress cunningly added these two words (secularism and socialism). This needs to be discussed,' he said.
He also took aim at the Congress government in Karnataka, claiming that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is financially bankrupt. 'Salaries for clinic staff haven't been paid, and several projects are stalled. MLAs like BR Patil have raised concerns. Now, the government will impose more taxes on people,' Ashoka alleged.
Accusing the state government of corruption, he added, 'If people want to build houses, they must pay bribes to the government.'
Ashoka also claimed that a change in the Chief Minister's post was 'imminent,' referring to Deputy CM DK Shivakumar's 'unfavourable horoscope.' 'Shivakumar lacks natural luck and may try to seize power by force,' he said.
He also criticised the Home Department, comparing its new social media regulations to Indira Gandhi's Emergency-era press censorship. 'Journalists criticising the government may be jailed,' he warned.
Ashok, who missed a BJP committee meeting led by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, said the party is working to resolve district-level issues. 'BJP has effectively opposed the government, but unity is needed for the party to shine,' he said. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
25 minutes ago
- India Today
Video: What was the deal about? Kanpur BJP leader's heated spat with woman cop
A tense altercation broke out on Monday at the Green Park Cricket Stadium in Kanpur during the Operation Sindoor Cup cricket match, as BJP MLC Arun Pathak got into a heated argument with senior police officials over security incident, which has been caught on camera and widely shared on social media, shows Pathak confronting Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Anjali Vishwakarma, an IPS officer, after his armed security personnel were stopped from entering the stadium premises. advertisementAccording to eyewitnesses and footage from the scene, Pathak appeared visibly angry as he argued with ADCP Vishwakarma and another senior officer over what he claimed was disrespectful treatment. The police officers were enforcing standard security regulations that bar armed personnel from entering the venue during public events. The confrontation escalated when a senior officer accompanying Vishwakarma asked Pathak's security team for their names and identity badges. This demand reportedly agitated the BJP leader flared when ADCP Vishwakarma remarked, "I have previously dealt with him at an event," referring to Pathak. Reacting sharply, the MLC shouted, 'How did you deal with me? What was the deal about? Answer this first,' demanding clarification on her situation remained volatile for several minutes before ADCP Vishwakarma walked away without responding further. The matter was eventually defused when Kanpur Mayor Pramila Pandey and several local BJP leaders intervened and managed to calm both parties, bringing the standoff to a peaceful incident has triggered widespread discussion over the conduct of public officials and security norms at public events. There has been no official statement from either the police or the BJP legislator at the time of reporting.- EndsWith inputs by Simer Chawla
Indian Express
32 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Cracks in Telangana BJP as Raja Singh quits over Ramchander Rao elevation to party chief
After a stormy election process, the BJP is set to name a new Telangana party chief. Though N Ramchander Rao was the only one to file a nomination for the president's post, firebrand BJP MLA T Raja Singh caused a stir when he attempted to file his nomination at the eleventh hour but was unable to garner enough support for his candidacy. A veteran party leader, the 66-year-old Rao has been associated with the BJP for over four decades, including as an MLC from 2015 to 2021. Several BJP leaders told The Indian Express that Rao, as a Brahmin leader, can be a 'unifying factor' for the party that has seen several groups emerging from within. Rao started his political career in the RSS-affiliated student outfit ABVP in 1977. He was a state executive member of the ABVP for five years. During the last few years of his tenure with the ABVP, Rao also worked with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP's youth wing, from 1980 to 1982. A leader who completed his Master's degree from Hyderabad's Osmania University, Rao later obtained a legal degree from the same institute. After this, he served in the legal cell of the BJP for close to a decade. He worked as the general secretary of BJP in undivided Andhra Pradesh from 2009 to 2012. He was the state BJP spokesperson for several years, even after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into two states in 2014. 'He was known chiefly for his interaction with the public and his keen sense of commitment towards the party,' a BJP leader said. Rao also served as a lawyer in metropolitan courts in Hyderabad and High Court of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. 'He has been practicing in the Supreme Court in recent times and is a time-tested lawyer,' a BJP source said. Rao's candidature, however, came as a surprise because former Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and Lok Sabha MP Eatela Rajender, who had joined the BJP in 2021, was till Sunday considered to be the front-runner for the post. There were other aspirants in the mix, including Union minister and former state party chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Aravind. 'Rao's selection will, to a great extent, quell the dissatisfaction within the party,' a BJP leader said. Rao himself told the press on Monday that he does not think factionalism is a factor within the BJP. 'There are people who might have differences but all of them are collectively supporting the ideological base of the BJP,' he said. However, at around 4.30pm on Monday, half-an-hour after the deadline for nominations, controversial BJP MLA T Raja Singh appeared before the media with his nomination papers. 'As my nomination, which did not get the support of (at least 10) councillors who were threatened with dire consequences, did not get accepted, I have decided to quit the party,' he said. He said that he had taken several personal risks for the party. 'My family and myself are under the scrutiny of terrorists. I have taken that kind of risk for the party. But the BJP has leaders who do not want the party to come to power in Telangana,' Singh said. In his resignation letter which was submitted to outgoing BJP state president and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, Singh wrote that Rao's impending appointment came as a 'shock and disappointment'. He also wrote that his resignation reflects the 'pain and frustration of lakhs of BJP karyakartas and supporters who feel sidelined and unheard'. He added that he considers himself to be still attached to Hindutva ideology and he will continue to serve the people of his Goshamahal constituency. The BJP's only Hyderabad MLA, Singh is no stranger to controversy. Known among the supporters in his constituency Goshamahal as 'Tiger Raja' and 'Hindu Hriday Samrat', the 48-year-old MLA has frequently faced action over his alleged hate speeches. In 2022, he had been suspended from the BJP over his alleged remarks against Prophet Mohammed. He was, however, reinstated a year later ahead of the 2023 Telangana Assembly polls, in which he won the Goshamahal seat for a third consecutive time.
The Hindu
33 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Pakistan Army Chief describes terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir as 'legitimate struggle'
Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir has described terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir as a 'legitimate struggle', saying his country would always stand by the people of Kashmir in their struggle. Field Marshal Munir also warned India of a 'befitting response' in case of any future attack, weeks after the two nations briefly locked horns in a dangerous conflict. 'What India labels as terrorism is, in fact, a legitimate and lawful struggle for freedom, recognised by international law,' Mr. Munir said while addressing a passing out ceremony at Pakistan Naval Academy, Karachi, on Saturday (June 28, 2025). 'Those who have tried to suppress the Kashmiri people's will and pursue conflict elimination instead of resolution have only made the movement more relevant through their own actions,' he claimed. He said that Pakistan would always stand by the people of Kashmir in their struggle for the right to self-determination. 'Pakistan is a strong advocate for a just resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people,' he added. In the past, Mr. Munir had described Kashmir as Pakistan's 'jugular vein'. India has repeatedly told Pakistan that the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh 'was, is and shall forever' remain an integral part of the country. The ties between the two countries nosedived after India abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcating the State into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019. In his address, Mr. Munir also claimed that Pakistan proved itself as a 'net region stabiliser' after having repelled the Indian military attack twice. He was apparently referring to the 2019 Balakot strike after the Pulwama terror attack and the recent Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam terror attack. 'Pakistan, despite grave provocations, acted with restraint and maturity and demonstrated its commitment to regional peace and stability, which has led to Pakistan's role as a net regional stabiliser,' he claimed. 'As we steadily, but surely, build our comprehensive national power, any enemy acting on the perceived vulnerability of Pakistan under the illusion of strategic impunity or miscalculation, would get a swift and a very befitting response,' he said. The army chief also said that undeterred by the efforts by adversaries, Pakistan would continue on the path of progress, development and prosperity. He also reaffirmed the armed forces' commitment to eradicating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, vowing to take the fight to its logical conclusion.
