Those who hesitate to vote for BJP are pro-Pak, says K S Eshwarappa

Bengaluru, Sept 16: Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K S Eshwarappa, who ahead of the LS polls made a controversial comment that Muslims won't be given tickets by BJP, on Sunday said patriotic Muslims will vote for the saffron party while those who are pro-Pakistan will hesitate.

The senior BJP leader also announced that the party-led government will ban slaughter of cows in the state. "Everyone has a wish for Akhanda Bharat, why it is not happening is because of fear that they (section of politicians) may not get Muslim votes.." Eshwarappa said.

Speaking at an event here, he said, "Before BJP government came to power I happened to meet couple of Congress MLAs who expressed desire to come to BJP, but claimed that they have over 50,000 Muslim votes in their constituencies and may face defeat if they lose that, which is kind of a 'Hijada' (eunuch) behavior."

Eshwarappa also claimed that in his constituency in Shivamogga, there were over 50,000 Muslim voters and he has never gone to them seeking votes.

"I told them (Congress MLAs) that in my constituency, my community- Kuruba vote is about 8,000-10,000 and there is more than 50,000 Muslim votes. I have till today not gone to a single Muslim saluting him for vote. I have won by a lead of over 47,000 votes," he said.

"Why I'm saying this-Journalists write down this. A rashtra bhakta (patriot) Muslim will vote for BJP, and those who are pro Pakistan and rashtra drohis (traitors) will hesitate to vote for BJP," the Minister added.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in April, Eshwarappa had said the BJP would not give tickets to Muslims to contest the elections as they do not believe in the party.

On banning cow slaughter in the state, he said, "Cow slaughter is banned in a way, but it has to be done completely. When there was BJP government in the past we had done it, but Congress government came to power and removed it. I'm saying this in this meeting, in front of holy seers that this government will ban cow slaughter, let there be no doubt."

Despite resistance from opposition, the then BJP government led by B S Yediyurappa in 2010 had got the controversial Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill passed that proposed to replace the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964.

The bill had widened the definition of 'cattle' and imposed a blanket ban on cattle slaughter, coupled with stringent penalty clauses for violation. However, the Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah that came to power in 2013, withdrew the bill that was before the President for his assent.

Recently, Vijayapura MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal and BJP's Gau Samrakshana Prakoshta, had written to the state government to re-enact the cow slaughter prevention bill.