Minister Parameshwara denies attending ABVP event, says he only paid tributes to Rani Abbakka

Bengaluru, Sep 11 (PTI) Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday asserted that he was a true Congressman and will die as one, while denying his participation in an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) event.

Responding to a question on the controversy surrounding his attendance at an event organised by RSS student wing ABVP for Rani Abbakka in Tumakuru, he said he only paid floral tributes to her statue during a procession.

Rani Abbakka was a Tuluva Queen of Ullal who fought the Portuguese in the latter half of the 16th century.

"I did not attend any ABVP event. While I was on my way, a procession of Rani Abbakka was going on. Our local MLA (from Tiptur) Shadakshari was with me. I was told to offer floral tributes to Rani Abbakka's procession. I stopped my car, offered flowers and came back, that's all. I did not attend the ABVP programme or anything," Parameshwara said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "If anyone still wants to make controversy out of it, let them, I don't have a problem." Asserting that no one can question his ideological commitment, the state Home Minister said, " I'm a true Congressman, I will die as a Congressman." "There will be political adversaries to me, like others have, they may be within the party or outside. They may be making an issue out of it. Won't people understand such cheap tricks? Everyone in the state knows what Dr Parameshwara is, and everyone is aware of my politics for the last 35 years. I don't have to prove it again and again," he added.

To a query on Parameshwara allegedly attending ABVP organised Rani Abbakka event, State Congress President and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said, "I don't know the issue, I will get information and speak." Recently, Shivakumar had taken everyone by surprise by crooning the RSS prayer song on the floor of the Karnataka Assembly, during a debate.

Stung by criticism from within the Congress party, he had subsequently apologised for it. PTI KSU ROH