Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Oct 14: Former chief minister, B S Yedyurappa, joined other party leaders in seeking to oust Baig from the ministry. In a press statement, he felt that Baig would have used abusive language because of heavy loss he would have suffered due to currency demonetization exercise.

Recalling that Baig had earlier been dropped from the cabinet and his brother had been arrested relating to fake stamp paper scam and that the building owned by the minister had been locked up, he condemned Baig for his remarks. State BJP in-charge, Muraleedhar Rao, commented that Congress leaders, right from Rahul Gandhi, are known to use filthy language, as they do not know how to speak decently.

Karnataka minister for urban development, Roshan Baig, has courted a controversy, after a video in which he is said to have used foul language against Prime Minster (PM), Narendra Modi, became public. As per information, Baig delivered the address at a meeting of Congress activists.

It is said that Baig launched the tirade that was full of slanderous remarks in the meeting of party workers held at Pulikeshinagar here. In the same address, he is said to have vilified BJP state president, B S Yeddyurappa. The remarks came in response of currency notes demonetization exercise undertaken by the union government sometime back.

Taking umbrage to the defamatory language used by the minister, BJP has criticized Baig and urged chief minister, Siddaramaiah, to dismiss him from the ministry for using unparliamentary language against the PM of the country. It also warned that besides filing police complaint, it will also file defamation suit against the minister.

The BJP, which is battered by various controversies surrounding some of its leaders of late, has got a point to score with the video of Baig becoming public. The city unit of BJP has given a call for protest here on Saturday October 14. The party sources said that discussions are also on over the desirability of organizing state-wide protests if Baig is not dropped from the ministry.

BJP state spokesperson, Ashwathnarayan, speaking to media persons, advised Siddaramaiah to drop Baig from the state ministry if he has morals, for stooping too low in hurling abuses at Narendra Modi. He said that besides filing police complaint against Baig, the party will consider filing defamation suit against him.

Another spokesperson of the party, Go Madhusudan, said that the Baig will get befitting response in his own language if he does not exercise control over his tongue. He also wanted to know from Baig whether he has forgotten about his own leader, Congress party Karnataka state in-charge, Venugopal, having been mired in sex scandal.

Reacting to the controversy, Baig said that he has respect for Modi and that he can never use abusive language against the PM. "I am not good at Tamil. I spoke a few words in that language by using whatever knowledge of that language I had. Narendra Modi is the PM of the country, not of any particular party. BJP leaders in the state, who have made it a habit to hurl accusations against Congress leaders day in and day out, have now found a target in me," he remarked.