Amid kar sevak arrest row, BJP shares video of Siddaramaiah refusing to enter temple

Amid intense political row over the arrest of Srikanth Poojari who was allegedly involved in the violence after Babri Masjid demotion in 1992, the BJP shared a video of Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah refusing to enter a temple. Calling him anti-Ram, the BJP said this is the real face of Siddaramaiah. A major row has begun in Congress-ruled Karnataka ahead of the inauguration of Ram Temple on January 22 as Srikanth Poojari got arrested in old cases. Siddaramaiah said there was no politics and it was mere coincidence that the arrest took place before the inauguration of the Ram Temple.

Srikanth has been involved in 16 anti-social activities including illegal liquor sales, gambling, Siddaramaiah said, " If such individuals are not arrested and are allowed to roam freely, even Lord Rama cannot forgive this," Siddaramaiah said.

'India will become like Afghanistan': Siddaramaiah's son

Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra courted a fresh controversy as he said India will be like Afghanistan and Pakistan if it becomes a Hindu Rashtra. “Pakistan and Afghanistan have been bankrupted by the dictatorship in the name of religion…Affiliate organisations of the BJP are going to make India a Hindu country. If this is allowed then our country will also become Pakistan and Afghanistan…” he said.

'Godhra-like incident in Karnataka'

In another controversy, Congress MLC BK Hariprasad said there is a possibility of a Godhra-like situation in Karnataka and for this, the state government should be high on alert. When you go back to the history of the BJP, when there was Godra and Pulwama, a lot of disturbance and lives were lost. The BJP is a habitual offender and it can do anything. In Ayodhya, it is not a religious programme but a political program. CMs of MP, Rajasthan are 'kar sewaks'...This is my personal statement, not the party's," MLC BK Hariprasad told ANI.

'Jail for Jai Shri Ram'

Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka said the situation is such in the state that one can be jailed for chanting Jai Shri Ram. "If you chant 'Jai Sri Ram' in Karnataka, you will be sent to jail. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is at the Centre, so we are not afraid of all these," Ashoka said during BJP's protest march in Hubballi against Srikanth's arrest.