Bengaluru
Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Thursday rejected allegations that he had attended an event organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), asserting his unwavering loyalty to the Congress.
The controversy arose after reports suggested that Parameshwara participated in an ABVP programme at Tiptur in Tumakuru district to honour 16th-century warrior queen Rani Abbakka. Clarifying his stance, the minister said he merely offered floral tributes during a public procession. “I did not attend any ABVP event. While travelling, I saw a procession of Rani Abbakka. I stopped my car, offered flowers, and moved on. That’s all,” he told reporters.
Parameshwara, who was accompanied by local MLA Shadakshari, emphasised that paying respects to freedom fighters transcended political lines. “We respect everybody who fought for independence,” he noted.
The minister strongly defended his ideological position, dismissing attempts to question his political commitment. “My ideological commitment to the Congress is unquestionable. I am a true Congressman and will die as a Congressman. For the last 35 years, everyone in the state has known my politics. I don’t have to prove it again and again,” he said.
His clarification comes just days after Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stirred controversy by singing the RSS prayer in the Assembly before later apologising. The episode has added to the ruling Congress’s efforts to fend off criticism over perceived proximity of some leaders to right-wing organisations.
