"Unpardonable": Karnataka BJP chief on Shivanand Patil's remark over farmers; seeks his resignation

The BJP leader called Patil's statement "unpardonable" and accused him of repeatedly making similar statements.

Shivanand Patil said that the farmers in the state wish for drought to occur as they get free farm loan waivers from the government while addressing a gathering in Suttatti village of Belagavi district on Sunday night.

Later, Patil's comment has evoked a sharp reaction from the BJP leaders, who termed the statement as 'anti-farmer.'

"I strongly condemn the statement of Shivanand Patil. It shows the recklessness of the minister and this is unpardonable. CM must ask him to apologise to the farmers of the state. We demand resignation from Shivanand Pati as time and again he has been making such statements against farmers," said MLA BY Vijayendra.

On the other hand, the hijab issue in the state is continuously heating with each passing day, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has said that the government will take a decision after looking into the matter deeply.

"We have not made any orders regarding hijab. CM Siddaramaiah himself said that even if it is done, we will check it. The government will take a decision after looking into it deeply," G Parameshwara told ANI.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader KT Rama Rao slammed the Congress-led Karnataka government on Sunday, saying that the Siddaramaiah government has not lifted the ban on hijab yet in the state and they are still thinking about it.

"They have not lifted the ban on hijab yet and the CM has said that they are thinking about it. People are seeing the behaviour of Congress--what they say before coming to power and how they change after getting power," KTR said.

The debate on the hijab issue again rose to prominence after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced in a public meeting that his government would lift the ban on hijab imposed by the previous BJP government in the state. (ANI)