Senior Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa on Sunday, in yet another controversial statement, promoted the use of violence and suggested that party workers should take the law into their own hands to avenge political violence. Eshwarappa was addressing party workers at an event held in his home district of Shivamogga. Like in the past, Eshwarappa also made communally charged comments in his speech suggesting that minority communities like Muslims and Christians are not nationalists.
He said owing to the growing strength of the BJP and RSS, the party activists are encouraged to “hit back in the same force and give it in double to our opponents”. He said, “There was a time even when right-wing activists were attacked or killed in Kerala. We were directed to stay calm. We did not have the power to hit back. Now it has changed,” he stated, adding there is no need to keep silent given the party’s strength. “Now if we are attacked, we are asked to hit back in the same force and give it in double to our opponents.”
He added, “In neighbouring Kerala, If any of our Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh members had gone there to establish our office, they used to question us and kill our activists. We didn't have the strength to hit them back. Today we have lakhs of supporters for BJP and people join in lakhs in our Hindutva rallies. Earlier, when our activists used to be killed, our party seniors used to say 'be calm at all cost'. Whatever the situation may be, stay calm. Why? Because we didn't have that kind of strength. Now the Bharatiya Janata Party has grown that big across the world.”
In a communal reference, he said, “The wave of Hinduism is developing there (Kerala). Yes, we do not have the strength to teach nationality to Muslim and Christians. But we (BJP) are growing in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.”
When reporters later questioned him over the controversial speech, Eshwarra defended all his statements and said, "What's wrong in those statements? We can't keep quiet if our women, cows and party workers are attacked and targeted. There is nothing wrong with it." This is not the first time that Eshwarappa, who had previously served as the Deputy CM and also the state president of the party, has made politically incorrect and provocative statements. In November, 2020, Eshwarappa had said in another party event his party, the BJP, will field a candidate from any community but from the Muslim community.
(With IANS inputs)