Janardhana Reddy says Siddaramaiah's son's death a punishment from god, BJP distances

Calling his remarks unacceptable, BJP state chief BS Yeddyurappa told Janardhana Reddy to apologise for his comments.

news Politics

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa took strong exception to tainted mining baron and former ministerial colleague Gali Janardhana Reddy’s statement about the death of ex-CM Siddaramaiah’s son Rakesh. Following the statement, Yeddyurappa had on Wednesday asked Janardhana Reddy to apologise for his unsavoury remarks.

Reacting to the statement, Yeddyurappa told reporters, “What Reddy said is unacceptable and no one should make such personal comments against political opponents. Reddy should apologise to Siddaramaiah.”

Janardhana Reddy was criticised by leaders across political lines for this statement including by BJP’s R Ashoka.

In an interview with a TV news channel on Tuesday, the mining baron said, “He made me languish in jail for four-and-a-half years, keeping me away from my family and children. This is the reason why god punished him (Siddaramaiah) by taking away his son.”

Rakesh, Siddaramaiah’s eldest son had died in Belgium in July 2016 after a multiorgan failure. He was suffering from pancreatic ailment and was admitted in the Antwerp University Hospital in Brussel.

Later on Wednesday, Janaradhana Reddy speaking to another TV channel, said, “I did not intend to hurt Siddaramaiah, I was emotional when I spoke. I regret whatever said about Siddaramaiah and I apologise if I have hurt him.”

Commenting on the issue, Siddaramaiah called Reddy “uncultured” and said, “Forgiveness is a quality of a human being. But a man with a criminal brain has no culture. Criticizing political opponents is okay in politics, but not the family.”

Later on social media, Siddaramaiah said, “Reddy has said that my son’s death is a punishment given to me by god. I pray to god not to punish your (Reddy) children for your sins.”

Janardhana Reddy is again in the limelight as his protege B Sriramulu’s sister Shanta has been pitted against Congress’s Ugurappa in the November 3 Ballari Lok Sabha bye-polls.

Although Reddy is banned from entering the mining heartland as per court orders, political observers say that he remotely organising party workers from his residence in Molkamuru in neighbouring Chitradurga district even though the BJP publicly disowns him.