Karnataka Cong leader asks people to attack Yogi

Bengaluru: The political discourse in poll-bound Karnataka touched a new low with Congress working president Dinesh Gundu Rao calling upon the people to hit Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath with slippers whenever he came to the state.

Rao made the controversial remarks at a candle march organised by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress here to show solidarity with the victims of rape in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao and Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua.

The comments drew an angry response from the BJP which termed them  “heinous” and accused the ruling Congress of instigating violence.

As his comments stoked a major political row, Rao said it was an  “emotional outburst” and “all I said was just show him (Yogi Adityanath) slippers”.

He said he regretted his remarks if they were offensive.At the protest meet last night, Rao had said, “This man from Uttar  Pradesh who comes to Karnataka to deliver lectures is not a yogi. He is a hypocrite, a liar and a thug. He should not be allowed to  enter Karnataka...”

“... In case Yogi Adityanath… No, there is no need to call him Yogi. He is Bhogi Adiyanath. If he comes to Karnataka, he should be beaten up with slippers and sent back. If you (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) have little self-esteem and if you have respect for women, sack the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. Unseat him. What you are doing now is a heinous crime (by retaining him),” he said.

Hitting back, furious Karnataka BJP leaders reminded Rao that Adityanath was a “revered saint of Nath tradition”.

Condemning the remarks, Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa said it was “highly uncivilised”.

Yeddyurappa asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to expel Rao from the party and said the Election Commission should also take cognisance of Rao’s “inflammatory remarks”.

The party termed it Congress “deep hatred” for saffron.