Karnataka Congress’s Randeep Surjewala condemned BJP’s Pratap Simha for a derogatory remark against CM Siddaramaiah, calling it a deliberate attempt by the BJP to insult backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities due to bypoll frustration.
Karnataka Congress in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday condemned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pratap Simha’s derogatory remark against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during a bypoll campaign in Bagalkot, calling it a deliberate attempt to insult backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.
Surjewala said that it is clear that Pratap Simha’s outburst stems from frustration and the BJP is deliberately “using him to insult CM Siddaramaiah”. Sharing an X post, he wrote, “The derogatory ‘cut’ remark made by Pratap Simha about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot has once again exposed the BJP’s base politics. It is now clear that Pratap Simha’s outburst stems from frustration. The BJP is deliberately using Pratap Simha to insult Shri Siddaramaiah, the most senior leader of a backward community, with the sole intent of sending the message that backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities are seen as inferior and subservient through their Manuvaadi lens. Such behaviour lays bare the complete bankruptcy of ideology, ethics, and leadership within the BJP.” ಬಾಗಲಕೋಟೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯನವರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಪ್ರತಾಪ್ ಸಿಂಹ ನೀಡಿರುವ ಹೀನಾಯ “ಕಟ್” ಹೇಳಿಕೆ ಬಿಜೆಪಿಯ ನೀಚ ರಾಜಕಾರಣವನ್ನು ಮತ್ತೊಮ್ಮೆ ಬಟ್ಟಬಯಲು ಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಪ್ರತಾಪ್ ಸಿಂಹರ ಈ ಆಕ್ರೋಶ ಹತಾಶೆಯಿಂದ ಹುಟ್ಟಿದ್ದು ಎನ್ನುವುದು ಈಗ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟ. ಹಿಂದುಳಿದ ಸಮುದಾಯದ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಹಿರಿಯ ನಾಯಕರಾದ ಶ್ರೀ ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯನವರನ್ನು ಅವಮಾನಿಸಲು… pic.twitter.com/nFJGUjHplI — Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) April 4, 2026
A Pattern of Threats and Insults
He recalled previous instances of threats and insults targeting Congress leaders, saying, “Previously, the same divisive forces have issued death threats to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, including the vile threat of ‘We’ll stuff your dead body in the fridge.’ This is not the eccentricity of one individual; it is the BJP’s political culture itself.”
‘Repeat Offenders’ in Spreading Rhetoric
Highlighting a pattern of derogatory statements by BJP leaders, Surjewala added that the BJP leaders are repeat offenders in spreading poisonous rhetoric. “This is the same Pratap Simha who, on the instructions of the BJP central leadership, has repeatedly referred to the people-elected Congress Karnataka government not once, but time and again, as the ‘Taliban government.’ BJP leaders are repeat offenders in spreading poisonous rhetoric. Former MP Anantkumar Hegde, even while serving as a Union Minister, publicly insulted the wife of Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. BJP MLA C.T. Ravi stooped to the lowest levels by insulting Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar right inside the Karnataka Legislative Council. Other BJP leaders are repeat culprits in issuing statements that insult, disrespect, and demean individuals, communities, and religions,” he said in his X post.
Bypoll Frustration and Divisive Politics
Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party’s focus on divisive politics, he added that the BJP’s frustration in the Davangere South and Bagalkot assembly by-elections stems from public rejection and the looming prospect of defeat on April 9. “When vilification is the BJP leaders’ Magna Carta, expecting language of development, progress, or harmony from them is futile. The BJP’s frustration in the Davangere South and Bagalkot assembly by-elections stems from public rejection and the looming prospect of defeat on April 9, 2026. Rattled by this, the state and central BJP leadership — seething with anger over Kannadigas — has now tasked individuals like Pratap Simha with the job of hurling insults and humiliation at the leadership of the poor and oppressed — Chief Minister Shri Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.”
BJP’s Internal Fractures
He further criticised the BJP over its leadership choices, saying, “The supreme irony is this, the BJP leadership first sidelined Basanagouda Patil Yatnal for six years, keeping him out of the party. Yatnal publicly calls BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra and former Chief Minister Shri B.S. Yediyurappa a ‘corrupt family.’ Yet now, in the Bagalkot assembly, the BJP and its candidate Shri Veeranna Charantimath have appointed the very same Yatnal as their ‘star campaigner.’ A party that can’t even set its own house in order — fractured into a thousand pieces — is now insulting backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities, as well as their leaders, Chief Minister Shri Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.”
Congress Demands Apology, Threatens Action
Calling upon the BJP leadership to act, Surjewala demanded, “Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, BJP National President Shri J.P. Nadda, BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra, and Leader of the Opposition Shri R. Ashok must issue a public apology to 6.5 crore Kannadigas — especially OBCs, SCs, and minorities — for the derogatory and unacceptable statements made by BJP leader Shri Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Shri Siddaramaiah. If they do not endorse Pratap Simha’s statements and are not complicit in this conspiracy, they must expel him from the BJP. If they do not, it will prove that the BJP’s state and central leadership has deliberately deployed Pratap Simha to perpetrate this base insult and disrespect.”
“An FIR must be filed against Pratap Simha and strict action taken,” he wrote. “If the BJP and its leaders do not apologise, the poor and the oppressed will teach the BJP a fitting lesson in the Davangere South and Bagalkot by-elections.”
Surjewala emphasised Karnataka’s legacy of social harmony and progressive thought, stating, “Karnataka takes pride in its tradition of progressive thought, scientific temper, sarva dharma sambhava, and social harmony. Proud Kannadigas will not follow BJP leaders who seek to drag politics into the gutter.” (ANI)
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