Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 22 : As Congress commemorates 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi's presidency in Belagavi, Karnataka Assembly LoP, R Ashoka dubbed the Congress a "duplicate" staging the program using the name of real 'Gandhi'.
Congress had organised Jai Babu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally in Belagavi to mark 100 years of the Nava Satyagraha Baithak held in 1924, which was chaired by Mahatma Gandhi in his capacity as the Congress president.
Speaking to ANI R Ashoka said, "It is duplicate Congress and Gandhis. Did Sonia Gandhi go to jail or did Rahul Gandhi go to jail for freedom? No. This is a duplicate Congress doing this program in the name of real 'Gandhi'. They looted money from the people here. The looted money has been transferred to Belagavi..."
"They have spoiled the Karnataka, police system used to be very robust but now it's not. Every other day crimes like robbery, bank robbery, rapes are cow slaughter is happening. It seems like there is no home minister in the state or every other minister is home minister," he added further.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi to commemorate 100 years of his party's presidency. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Dy CM DK Shivakumar and other party leaders were gathered in Belagavi for the same.
Hailing Mahatma Gandhi as the soul of India, DK Shivakumar said that the Mahatma gave the message of peace and coexistence to the world.
"We chanted the Gandhi mantra yesterday, we do it today, and we will continue to chant his mantra in the future," he said while addressing the "Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan" convention.
"A century ago, Mahatma Gandhi took over the reins of the Congress and led the Independence movement. A hundred years later, we are organising this convention to spread his message to future generations," he said.
He explained that the convention was held to honor the roles of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr BR Ambedkar in protecting the Constitution.
"The main objective of this convention is to remember the contributions of Gandhiji and Ambedkar to the nation and to protect the Constitution. Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan is not a mere slogan but Shakti mantra of India," he noted.