By Bharath Joshi / Deccan Herald
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said he is “proud to be committed” to the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) even as he defended his government’s Independence Day advertisement that sidelines Jawaharlal Nehru.
“Someone said Bommai is slave of RSS. I say I’ve bowed down to that ideology, principle and patriotism. I’m proud to be committed to building the nation on the back of this ideology,” Bommai said, referring to Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s Sunday tweet accusing him of being an RSS slave.
Bommai was speaking at the ‘Amruta Bharatige Karunada Jatre’ event organised by the BJP.
The state government’s advertisement in which Nehru’s representation is confined to a line art and the inclusion of Veer Savarkar angered the Congress on Sunday.
“Our government’s ad recognised so many freedom fighters from Karnataka – Mailara Mahadevappa, Sahukar Chennaiah, Changal Reddy…no one had recognised their work, which we did in our ad. But, no one had a good thing to say about this. Instead, they felt disappointed that one of their leaders was left out,” Bommai said.
Bommai said the country was run for 65 years in Nehru’s name. “We haven’t forgotten him or his works. We have respect for Nehru. That’s why his photo is there in the ad,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown respect to all his predecessors with a museum for them.
This story was originally published in deccanherald.com . Read the full story here
