Published 22:57 IST, February 15th 2021
Kumaraswamy alleges use of 'Nazi tactics' during Ram Mandir fundraising, castigates Centre
JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy claimed that people collecting donations for Ram Mandir are separately marking houses of those who paid money and those did not.
In a departure from JD(S)'s bonhomie with BJP, ex-Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy on Monday claimed that there is an "undeclared emergency" in India at present. Pointing out that RSS was founded at the same time as the Nazi Party in Germany, he expressed concern that it is trying to implement similar policies adopted by the Nazis. For instance, he claimed that people collecting donations for the construction of Ram Mandir are separately marking houses of those who paid money and those who did not. According to him, fundamental rights of people are currently being snatched away in the country. Maintaining that one cannot freely express his or her views, the JD(S) legislator opined that the fate of the common man does not appear bright.
Donation drive
On November 9, 2019, the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, comprising of the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer pronounced a unanimous verdict, awarding the entire disputed area in Ayodhya to the Hindu parties. The formation of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra trust was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the floor of the Lok Sabha on February 5. A massive donation drive for the construction of the temple was simultaneously started from 400 locations on January 15.
The trust has aimed at reaching out to 4 lakh villages and 11 crore families across India during the 42-day drive ending on February 27. Prominent dignitaries including President Ram Nath Kovind has donated money for this purpose. On February 12, the trust's treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri revealed that Rs.1511 crore has been deposited in its account so far.
JD(S) backs BJP in Legislature
Kumaraswamy's criticism comes in the backdrop of the close working relationship between JD(S) and BJP. After the fall of the HD Kumaraswamy-led government in Karnataka, the two parties have started collaborating with each other in the Legislative Council where the ruling party does not have a majority. Though BJP is the single-largest party in the Legislative Council with 31 seats, it requires the support of JD(S) which has 13 MLCs for the passage of crucial legislation. To begin with, the Deve Gowda-led party backed the Karnataka Land Reforms (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020 which eased the restrictions on buying agricultural land in December 20.
After ruckus broke out in the Council on December 15, 2020, JD(S) and BJP legislators jointly complained to Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala regarding the incident. On January 29, BJP MLC MK Pranesh was elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council after the post fell vacant following the untimely demise of SL Dharmegowda. As JD(S) supported Pranesh's election, BJP returned the favour by backing the regional party's nominee Basavaraj Horatti for the Chairman's post. This election was necessitated by K Prathap Chandra Shetty's resignation as Chairman to pre-empt a no-confidence motion against him by BJP.
Updated 22:57 IST, February 15th 2021