Will Blacken Name Plates Of BJP Leaders, Veer Savarkar If Indira Canteens Renamed: Karnataka Congress

The Congress on Tuesday (11 August) warned the Karnataka government that if any attempt to change the name of Indira canteens (government-run canteens offering subsidised food to poor) is made, they will blacken the name plates of all the projects named after BJP and Sangh Parivar personalities in the state.

Addressing the media, former minister Ramalinga Reddy and former Rajya Sabha member B K Hariprasad said that BJP will have to face consequences if Indira canteens' name is changed.

"There is Atal Sarige, Jan Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyaay's name given to Yeshwanthpur flyover, and Yelahanka flyover has been named after RSS icon Veer Savarkar. If the name of Indira canteen is going to be changed, then names of all these projects should also change. We will smear all name plates with black colour," Ramalinga Reddy warned.

"Respect has to be shown to the person who ruled the country for 16 years as the Prime Minister. BJP leaders should be cautious while talking and tweeting... we are capable of giving answers in their fashion," he added.

Hariprasad said: "BJP leaders have reduced themselves to the level of name changers But, they claim that they are game changers. We will blacken the name plate of Veer Savarkar, who is alleged of carrying out anti-national activities, in the Bengaluru flyover."

"BJP wants to divert people's attention from fuel price rise. The project launched by Congress is successful and that is why BJP wants to change the name ...," he claimed.

BJP national General Secretary C T Ravi had proposed to change the name of Indira canteens.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)