Vijayapura, Oct 21 (UNI) Ahead of the Karnataka by polls, former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday asked Muslim voters to stand solidly behind the BJP as all the communities including the minority community have benefited from the various central schemes implemented by the central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"In my political career, I have not done any injustice to Muslims. And, please give me one example where the schemes launched by the Narendra Modi government only benefit Hindus, not Muslims" Yediyurappa said.
"I want to tell Muslims only this much that PM Modi has launched many schemes benefitting all communities, including the Muslim community. Therefore, I appeal to the Muslim voters to know this truth and stand solidly behind the BJP," he told reporters here.
He was reacting to a query that for the first time the BJP under his leadership in the state tried to woo Muslim voters. He was also referring to various schemes launched by PM Modi's government that focussed on education, employment and empowerment of minority communities.
Yediyurappa specifically referred to PM Modi's scheme of providing 5 crore scholarships, building schools and colleges in minority-dominated areas as well as providing 25 lakh jobs to minorities using programmes like skill development.
He was also pointing at PM Modi's statement that Muslims should be treated as "our own" rather than seeing them as items of the vote market.
On the Congress and JDS leaders attacking RSS, Yediyurappa said, "The opposition must understand one thing, that PM Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, and many other ministers in 26 states where BJP is ruling, most of them are RSS workers. So, there is no meaning to what they are saying against RSS and will not fetch them votes."
The Opposition do not have any issue to beat the ruling party, therefore they are attacking the RSS for appeasing Muslim voters, he said.
Moreover, the opposition leaders including JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy do not have any right to criticise the RSS which is doing yeoman service for the good of the country.
On Congress leader Siddaramaiah's allegations that JDS is BJP's B-Team, Yediyurappa said if that is the case, then HD Deve Gowda would not have himself campaigned for the by polls. "One should not speak cheaply of any party. I, at least, don't agree with the allegations that JDS is BJP's B-Team," he said.
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