Leaders of the Karnataka Congress have finally remembered Sardar Vallabhai Patel on his birth anniversary, though it seems it is not out of respect but out of fear of the BJP.
This was revealed following a weeks-old video that has gone viral on social media. It is related to the Congress’ programme organized in Bengaluru on October 31 to mark the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
In the video, former chief minister Siddaramaiah is heard inquiring Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar about the absence of the portrait of India’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhai whose birthday falls on the same day.
“Today it is his (Sardar Patel) birth anniversary. There is no portrait of him?”, chief minister Siddaramaiah is heard asking Shivakumar in Kannada.
“Sir, yes. It is his birthday today also. But we never keep the photo,” Shivakumar informs him about the party tradition of keeping Sardar Patel away from the memory.
“But what happens with BJP, they will take advantage,” Siddaramaiah said and turns to a staff member asking him whether he had a photo of Vallabhai Patel? Then they decide to keep a portrait of Sardar Patel with Indira Gandhi.
Unnoticed by them, their conversation was amplified by the ‘hot mic’.
The video might have gone unnoticed but it became viral after former minister and BJP leader MP Renukacharya tweeted a video of the purported conversation on November 24. His post in Kannada loosely translates: “Congress pays tribute to Patel in fear of BJP.”
ಬಿಜೆಪಿಗೆ ಹೆದರಿ ಪಟೇಲರಿಗೆ ಗೌರವ ತೋರಿದ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್! ನವರ ಕರ್ಮಕಥೆ. pic.twitter.com/TgytqmplOy
— M P Renukacharya (@MPRBJP) November 23, 2021
“If anyone had a doubt how much the Nehru Dynasty hated Sardar Patel, this video clears it. Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar agree to place a photo of Sardar Patel along with that of Indira Gandhi fearing BJP. It is a shame that Slaves are so much scared of an Italian,” BJP leader CT Ravi said.
If anyone had doubt how much the Nehru Dynasty hated Sardar Patel, this video clears it.
— C T Ravi 🇮🇳 ಸಿ ಟಿ ರವಿ (@CTRavi_BJP) November 24, 2021
CONgress leaders @siddaramaiah & @DKShivakumar agree to place photo of Sardar Patel along with that of Indira Gandhi fearing BJP.
It is a shame that Slaves are so much scared of an Italian. pic.twitter.com/ZiO3pUegGu
Mic gaffes are not new in Congress. In October, a video of Karnataka Congress media coordinator MA Salim and former MP VS Ugrappa went viral. Ahead of a press conference, they were heard badmouthing about Shivakumar and his alleged corruption when he was a minister in HD Kumaraswamy-led JD(S)-Congress coalition government.
