Bengaluru, 2 September 2024 – Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar responded to reporters on Tuesday, stating that the Bharatiya Janata Party's ten‑day padayatra from Lingasugur in Raichur district to Ballari will inadvertently give the Congress party an opening to launch a counter strategy.
The BJP commenced the march, branded “Ballari Chalo”, covering roughly 185 km and passing through Maski, Sindhanur, Karatagi, Gangavathi, Kampli, Sandur and Ballari Rural before ending in Ballari city. Organisers claim the walk will denounce alleged failures, anti‑people policies and corruption of the Congress government, while raising concerns of women, youth and farmers, seeking justice for the Valmiki community and highlighting a series of purported scandals.
Shivakumar, addressing the criticism, said, “If they organise a padayatra it is good for us because it creates an opportunity to respond. Our party will plan a counter strategy. Our party secured India's freedom through agitations; the BJP did not exist then.”
On the state’s drought situation, the chief minister noted that 101 taluks have been officially declared drought‑affected and that ground‑truthing is underway for additional areas. He mentioned personal visits to Gadag, Bagalkot and even his own Kanakapura taluk, which remains undeclared, emphasizing adherence to central government guidelines and urging patience.
When asked about the recent FIR lodged against senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar dismissed it as “purely political”. He asserted that Gandhi is fighting for the younger generation and that such activism is a constitutional right, adding that the government stands by him.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Sahil Online