Karnataka: State BJP president Kateel makes a personal attack on Rahul Gandhi

Karnataka BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel’s on Sunday stoke a controversy by making a personal remark against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Alongwith Rahul, Kateel took a dig at Siddaramaiah while addressing a gathering in Ramanagara as part of ‘Vijaya Sankalpa Yatre’.

Kateel mocked the Congress leaders for their alleged suspicion on Covid vaccines and alleged that the two Congress leaders had discouraged people from taking the vaccine by saying “if you take the vaccine, you will not have children”.

Also read: Love jihad a priority, not roads or drains: Nalin Kumar Kateel to BJP workers

Kateel’s controversial statement

“What did Rahul Gandhi say? Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramanna said don’t take vaccines you will not have children but at night Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah secretly took vaccines. One of the MLCs Manjunath recently said, Rahul Gandhi is not getting married as he knows he will not have children,” Kateel said.

The video of Kateel’s controversial speech is going viral on Twitter and has evoked a strong response.

BJP minister’s response

Karnataka Minister K Sudhakar told ANI that he did not support the remark.

I don't know in what context our president has made that remark but I'd like to keep myself away from this comment and I don't want to support this comment: Karnataka Minister K Sudhakar on State BJP chief Nalinkumar Kateel's remarks against Rahul Gandhi over COVID-19 vaccine pic.twitter.com/ozXtC14nr1

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2023

“I don’t know in what context our president has made that remark but I’d like to keep myself away from this comment and I don’t want to support this comment,” Sudhakar said.

Kateel has made a number of controversial statements in the past too. In January he had said that the people of Karnataka should prioritise the issue of “love jihad” in this year’s assembly elections, over concerns such as “road, gutter, drain and other small issues”.

BJP’s campaign strategy

Kateel’s remark came at a time when the assembly elections in the state are round the corner. As part of its campaign, the BJP is aiming to use the free vaccination drives to its advantage and BJP leaders have been targeting Congress leaders over their alleged suspicion on Covid vaccines.

Also read: Karnataka: With son arrested, absconding MLA embarrasses BJP ahead of elections

Home Minister Amit Shah, who has been visiting the state quite frequently, starts his every rally by asking people whether they got the free vaccine.

Since March 1, the BJP has started four yatras to cover all 224 constituencies in the state ahead of Assembly elections.