Congress playing appeasement politics: Karnataka BJP Chief Prahalad Joshi

BANGALORE: BJP in Karnataka today attacked the ruling Congress in the state for playing "politics of appeasing" minorities by reversing its ministry's decision of implementing a stringent anti-cow slaughter law.

"The Congress government is playing appeasement politics which is reflected in its decision to reverse the stringent anti-cow slaughter law introduced in the Assembly by the previous BJP government," State BJP President Prahalad Joshi told reporters here.

On August 23, the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had decided to reverse BJP's stringent law by restoring the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964, that governs slaughter of cattle in the state.

The scope of the 1964 Act is restricted to slaughter of cows, calf and she-buffaloes but allowed slaughter of bulls, bullocks and buffaloes if they were aged above 12 or if they were no longer fit for breeding or draught or did not give milk.

Joshi also flayed formation of a committee for dealing with the cases of terrorist attacks in Bangalore, saying it also reflected 'appeasement politics' of Congress.

The Congress, in its election manifesto, had promised to set up a committee, under the supervision of a retired judge to deal with terrorism cases.

Reacting to some Congress leaders position that a section of minority community is innocent, Joshi said, "Who are they (Congress) to say so? The Congress can do well to take all communities together instead of taking with them a particular community," he added.

To a query, he refuted former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's contention that BJP had approached JDS for an understanding in the recent Lok Sabha bypolls in the state.

"Ask Kumaraswamy (JDS leader and Gowda's son). It is JDS who came to us requesting not to field our candidates in Mandya and Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituencies," he said. Both seats were wrested from JDS by Congress.