Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday expressed happiness over the emphatic victory of his Congress in Karnataka, saying that people have proven the fact Lord Hanuman belongs to all and not only to those who vote for the BJP.
Gehlot, who reached the Mahangai Rahat Camp in Hariyadhana village of Bilada area in Jodhpur, said that the people of Karnataka have given a befitting reply to the BJP.
He also termed the election result a reaction to the treatment of Rahul Gandhi.
“A case was registered against Rahul Gandhi in Surat by making an issue of the statement made by his. Due to this, his MP title was snatched away. It was a conspiracy, which the public has understood.
“Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to speak in the House. He was suspended from the House. The people of Karnataka have now given an answer to the BJP for all these deeds,” he said.
On the poll results, he said: “The result has come as I had expected. I had also gone to Karnataka two-three times. People thronged Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. It was clear – looking at it – that what the result will be. The hard work of Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and D.K. Shivakumar paid off. All the people supported the Congress.”
On the Bajrang Dal row, he questioned: “Is it that those voting for the BJP are the devotees of Bajrangbali and the one who does not vote for the BJP cannot be a devotee of Bajrang Bali. The people of Karnataka have made it clear that Hanuman belongs to everyone.”
He said that the people of Karnataka have understood the manner in which the BJP is toppling opposition governments. “There was a conspiracy to topple the governments in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh. In fact, they could not do it in Rajasthan as we did not let the government fall.
“Now that the results of Karnataka have come, the public has understood their (the BJP’s) gimmicks. The public has come to know that they are toppling the elected government by horse-trading, buying and selling, then how will democracy stay strong? In such cases, democracy will be weakened and the people of the country will never tolerate this,” he added.
(IANS)