On Monday, former Karnataka Chief Minister and JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy stirred a fresh controversy by comparing the nationwide donation drive for Ram Mandir as Nazi propaganda. He alleged, “It appears that those collecting donations for the construction of Ram Mandir have been separately marking the houses of those who paid money and those who did not.”
Kumaraswamy then drew an analogy with the Nazi regime in Germany. “This is similar to what Nazis did in Germany during the regime of Hitler when lakhs of people lost their lives,” the ex-Karnataka Chief Minister said. Casting aspersions on the future of India, he added that such events might take the country on a dangerous path.
https://twitter.com/hd_kumaraswamy/status/1361311115171356673?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwHe further compared the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to the Nazi party founded by Adolf Hitler in Germany. Kumaraswamy said, “Historians say that RSS took birth at the same time when the Nazi Party was founded in Germany. There are concerns on what will happen if the RSS tries to implement similar policies adopted by Nazis.” Resorting to fear-mongering, he alleged, “The fundamental rights of people are being snatched away in the country now.”
https://twitter.com/hd_kumaraswamy/status/1361311141754888195?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwThe former Karnataka Chief Minister compared the situation in India to a supposed ‘undeclared emergency’ where people are not allowed to express their views openly. “A situation has been created where nobody can share their feelings. I do not know what will happen if the media upholds the government’s views in the coming days. In such a situation it is difficult to guess what would be the fate of common man…It is clear from the emerging trends that anything may happen in the country.”
Akhilesh Yadav derides Ram Mandir donation seekers
Earlier, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, a fierce critic of PM Modi, took a swipe at the Ram Mandir devotees by saying that those who collect donations must be called “Chandajeevi” or professional donation collectors. “What is being said about the agitations? That people are ”Aandolanjeevi”. What should I call the people who go out to collect donations? Are they not members of ‘‘Chandajeevi Sangathan” (organisation which collects donations)?” he said.
Yadav’s remark was in response to PM Modi’s comments regarding ‘professional protestors’ who do not care about the cause but instigate protests to gain political mileage. Warning the people against such opportunists, PM Modi had called them ‘Aandolanjeevi’ or the people who survive on protests and unrest.