BJP rubbished allegations that senior leader Yeddyurappa refused to eat food cooked at a Dalit's home.
Highlights
- BJP accuses Congress of trying to discredit state party chief Yeddyurappa
- The BJP claims that the food cooked by the Dalit family ran out
- The assembly elections in Karnataka will take place next year
The BJP in Karnataka has rubbished the allegation that its state chief BS Yeddyurappa refused to eat food cooked at a Dalit's home last week and instead ate idlis ordered from a hotel. The party has said that food ran out while Mr Yeddyurappa and his team were at the home of Madhu Kumar in Chitradurga district for breakfast, and so more was bought from outside.
A man called D Venkatesh has filed a police complaint against Mr Yeddurappa, accusing him of casteism.
"Yeddyurappa and party workers had gone to a Dalit house. There, food was cooked and served. As food ran out, some food was obtained from outside. We cannot say what items were prepared and who ate what, but the best proof is from the family itself which says they served Yeddyurappa the food they cooked and that it was a happy occasion," said BJP's Suresh Kumar.
On a video circulated by the BJP, Madhu Kumar, a member of the family that Mr Yedduruappa visited, said, "We were very happy to hear that the former chief minister was coming to our house. He came on Friday, May 19, at 8.30am. We served him breakfast that we had cooked at home. He ate the breakfast. But because more people had come we had to get food from outside too."
D Venkatesh has filed a police complaint against Mr Yeddurappa in a different district, Mandya. He has no known political links, but the BJP said it spots an attempt by the ruling Congress to discredit Mr Yeddyurappa, who is on a tour of the state, his party said, to learn about the problems of the people in a drought year. Karnataka votes for a new government next year and the BJP hopes to snatch the state back from the Congress.
"The Congress cannot take my going to Dalits' homes and eating with them and asking about their difficulties, trying to help them. So they are trying to give it a different colour. I went again today to a Dalit colony. I went to a slum and spoke with them about their difficulties," Mr Yeddyurappa, 74, said in Bagalkote.
Reacting to Mr Yeddyurappa, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "He has been in politics for 40 years. Didn't he remember the Dalits before this? To go there, order hotel food and eat it? What affection is there for the Dalits."