'Basaveshwara is not property of Shobha Karandlaje', says Congress

Karandlaje appealed to members of the Lingayat community not to allow Siddaramaiah to participate in Basava Jayanti celebrations.

Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday lashed out at BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje for saying that CM Siddaramaiah should not be allowed to participate in Basava Jayanti celebrations. Reddy asked 'who is Shobha Karandlaje' to tell Congress anything about 12th-century social reformer Basaveshwara.

"Who is she? Who is she to tell us? Basaveshwara is not the property of Shobha Karandlaje," Reddy told the media today (April 18).

On the eve of the birth anniversary, Karandlaje appealed to members of the numerically significant community not to allow Siddaramaiah to participate in Basava Jayanti celebrations as the leader allegedly tried to drive a wedge between Veerashaivas and Lingayats.

"In the past, many tall leaders from Veerashaiva/Lingayat community have occupied the position of Chief Minister, and never thought of dividing the society in the name of Basavanna, but Siddaramaiah did it just to prevent Yeddyurappa from returning as Chief Minister," she had reportedly said.

Speaking on Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde's claim that there was a deliberate attempt made on his life, Reddy said, "Will ask Police to probe."

The union minister had said a truck tried to ram into his car when he was travelling near Halageri in Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district around 11:30 pm. The truck missed the minister's car and hit the escort vehicle. Since our vehicle was in top speed, it missed the hit, the minister also said. The minister also tweeted a photograph of the accident. The truck driver has been identified as Nasir.

I suspect a serious attempt on my life looking at the incident as it doesn't make an accident. The driver has purposefully tried hitting our vehicle and then hit our escort vehicle. As our car was running at the good speed we passed before he could ram us," the minister said.