The former deputy chief minister of Karnataka and Congress leader Gangadharaiah Parameshwara has sought the help of the extremist organisation Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) to defeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Notably, the outfit is the student wing of the banned terrorist group, Popular Front of India (PFI).
“We appeal to the minority section that definitely support us. It’s your (Muslims) security, safety, development and welfare,” he stated in an interview with Times Now.
“We appeal to them (SDPI). Certainly, we appeal to them. Bharatiya Janata Party believes in polarising people on the basis of religion and caste. We definitely need to defeat that concept in India. So, we need support. Whoever it is, SDPI or whichever organisation, we certainly appeal to them,” he remarked while responding to how parties like SDPI can eat into the Congress vote in certain constituencies.
Senior Karnataka Congress leader Dr. G Parameshwara speaks to TIMES NOW, says, "We appeal to #SDPI for supporting #Congress against the #BJP."
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) April 14, 2023
Earlier, SDPI's state chief had said that Congress & JDS leaders were reaching out to them.@dpkBopanna | @KeypadGuerilla | @DEKAMEGHNA pic.twitter.com/2lasdvWo6M
The Congress stalwart is also a potential chief ministerial candidate if the party manages to grab power in the state. However, his appalling comments are not in isolation but are part of a long list of Congress leaders who have regularly expressed the same desire, despite Congress’ official claim of not associating with any radical outfit like SDPI.
After SDPI threatened to go alone in Karnataka assembly polls, state Congress Campaign Committee Chief M. B. Patil urged, “Even now we expect that SDPI should support Congress to defeat the BJP. Congress is a secular party, SDPI cannot win (seats), they can divide votes, which will affect Congress.”
SDPI state president, Abdul Majeed, has revealed that Congress leaders have approached them for a political alliance before the upcoming elections in the southern state. “Nobody’s approached us. Some individual MLAs have asked for support but we have not discussed anything on it yet.”
“Even Congress MLAs, JDS (Janata Dal-Secular) MLAs have asked us to support them, but we had not assured them. We have not taken any decision right now.” He declared, “Definitely, to defeat BJP, we will support the candidate who can defeat BJP,” when told that his party is being criticised by BJP for giving a ticket to Shafi Bellare. He is accused in the murder of BJP worker Praveen Nettaru, who was targeted by the ‘killer squad’ of PFI, the parent organisation of SDPI.
The Indian Government banned PFI last year for five years for undertaking ‘unlawful activities’ which are ‘prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country,’ under the Unlawful Activities Prevention (UAPA) Act. According to a chargesheet submitted by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in February of this year, the Islamist group intended for India to become a Sharia-compliant Muslim nation by 2047.
