BJP legislator from Vijayapura in Karnataka, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who called 102-year-old freedom fighter HS Doreswamy a Pakistani agent, on Monday said there was no question of him taking back his statement. The MLA had targeted HS Doreswamy who is also an activist as he had taken a stand against the Citizenship Amendment Act and sat on a dharna against it.
Basanagouda Yatnal’s statement comes after members of the Prajadhikara Horata Samiti staged a protest at Maurya Circle and demanded that Basanagouda Yatnal be banned from entering the Assembly and also demanded an apology for his statement.
“Rahul Gandhi spoke against Savarkar. He must be banned from entering Parliament. Mani Shankar Iyer must be banned. These people have mingled with the tukde tukde gang and are indulging in anti-national and anti-constitutional activities. I have seen the 102-year-old freedom fighter’s picture with the tukde tukde gang,” Basanagouda Yatnal said.
He also cast aspersions on Doreswamy’s involvement in the Quit India Movement in 1942 and said that the centenarian is a fake freedom fighter.
“The time bomb was invented in 1960. How did this freedom fighter make these time bombs in 1942? There is no question of taking back my statement and I have not done anything wrong to apologise. I respect the freedom fighters of this country but will not respect fake freedom fighters,” the BJP MLA added.
#BIGNEWS: #Vijayapura #BJP MLA #BasangoudaPatilYatnal refuses to budge on his comment against freedom fighter #HSDoreswamy, says there is no question of apology. pic.twitter.com/lm6R8SwRw6
— NEWS9 (@NEWS9TWEETS) March 2, 2020
HS Doreswamy is known for organising protests in the Old Mysuru region during the freedom struggle. A physics and mathematics teacher by profession, Doreswamy got involved in the Quit India Movement in 1942. He is known for planting low-intensity explosives inside postboxes as a way to disrupt the communications of the British government. Yatnal has cast aspersions on Doreswamy’s role during the resistance against the British Raj.
Yatnal had called Doreswamy a Pakistani agent on February 25 in Vijayapura. The legislator’s statement came after Doreswamy took part in a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the NRC at Town Hall earlier in February. He also took part in anti-CAA and anti-National Register of Indian Citizens’ protests at Freedom park soon after and has been vocal about his opposition to the legislation passed by the Centre.
On Sunday, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and members of the Prajadhikara Horata Samiti passed a resolution to bar Yatnal from entering the Assembly.
Reacting to Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s statement, former CM Siddaramaiah said that the BJP legislator’s statement was traitorous. “I strongly condemn the derogatory, traitorous and anti-national statement made by Basanagouda patil Yatnal. He has made this statement against a centenarian and freedom fighter. He is saying that Doreswamy is a fake freedom fighter and a Pakistani agent. Yatnal has made allegations of sedition against this freedom fighter. I condemn this,” he added.