'Dinesh Gundu Rao is either lying or...': Rajeev Chandrasekhar takes a jibe at Karnataka minister's 'Sangh Parivar' comment

A war of words erupted between BJP and Congress on Friday when Karnataka minister and Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao accused BJP of giving undue favours to Sangh Parivar. 

"A lot of government properties have been handed over to many institutions belonging to the Sangh Parivar. So, we have to look at all those things, see if they have been done properly, legally and what we can do on those issues. But definitely, a lot of state government properties have been given to institutions and organisations that are closely connected to the RSS and BJP," said Gundu Rao on Friday.

''Hundreds of acres of government land in the state have been transferred in the name of RSS and Sangh Parivar affiliated organisations,'' the minister said in a press conference.

According to him, the purpose behind such allotment was to help these organisations grow and with that its ideologies should also grow.

''This (allotment of land) should not happen. One should inform everything to the people. Nothing should be kept secret. People should know. Taking everything in one way is not proper. So we have to take steps,'' the minister added.

Last month, Congress defeated BJP in assembly polls to storm its way into Vidhan Soudha.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar responded to Gundu Rao's comments as being blatant lies. 

"I don't want to get into a debate. I seldom get into a debate with Congress because either they are lying through their teeth or they make no sense. So, Gundu Rao is in one of those categories. He should figure out which category," said MoS IT and BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

Gundu Rao also spoke about reports on Karnataka government planning to remove some lessons from textbooks introduced by previous BJP government, including one on RSS founder KB Hedgewar.

"We should have stories about people who have really contributed to the building of the nation. If you talk about the freedom struggle, those who participated in the freedom struggle - history should reflect that, not your personal choices, not who you idolise. BJP has tried to infuse their ideological issues into textbooks, which is not correct. So, Congress party will have to look at it very seriously and take corrective measures," he said.

Chandrashekar has hit out at Congress government about it removing a lesson on RSS founder from school textbooks and said the party's views on history are limited to Nehru-Gandhi family.

When asked whether the government has taken any steps yet, Rao said he cannot say anything about the steps taken at this juncture but he pointed out that the Congress government has to do it.

''It should happen at the government level where the revenue department and the chief minister have to see what has happened and how it has happened. They have to decide after seeing whether it has been done lawfully and for what price it has been allotted because these are all legal matters,'' he explained.

To a question about the BJP claiming that there is a witch hunt against its cadres, Rao alleged that the objective of that party was to meddle with history, create rift among people, and spread hatred, which they were doing at every level, be it in textbooks, or appointing such people in various organisations and allotting government land to RSS and its affiliated organisations.

The minister also said that he has convened a meeting where many decisions will be taken.

He added that the Congress government cancelled a few tenders such as the 108-Ambulance tender and the dialysis contract.

''There are other issues as well, such as the functioning of our department, officers and doctors and taking care of public health. Preventive measures will also be looked into,'' Rao said.

He also explained that some policy matters related to his department will be discussed with the experts to improve the existing system to provide quality treatment to people.

Dinesh Gundu Rao retained his Gandhi Nagar Assembly constituency seat in a close battle with his Bharatiya Janata Party rival Sapthagiri Gowda in the state assembly elections held in May. 

With inputs from PTI

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