Karnataka: Vivekananda’s birthday comes in handy for Congress to signal its Hindu credentials & counter BJP
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will launch the last of five Congress party’s guarantees on Friday: the Yuva Nidhi scheme offering a monthly dole to unemployed graduates and diploma holders.
That is not news, though.
It is the choice of the day and location for the launch that stand out.
The Congress regime has chosen to launch the ambitious scheme on the birth anniversary of great Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda, celebrated across India as National Youth Day. And the place is Shivamogga, the city that hogged headlines in recent years for clashes between the two religious groups.
Karnataka’s ruling party is clearly targeting two birds at a shot: the Congress leaders are out to prove they are no less Hindus as the party leaders have put forth Vivekananda’s portraits in all their social media campaigns, seeking to project the programme as a mark of respect to the Hindu religious scholar and philosopher.
“On the birthday of Swami Vivekananda, who saw the future of the country in the youth, our government will launch the Youth Fund Scheme to build Vivekananda's dream of a young India,” the CM said in a post on social media platform X.
The Congress has been trying to duck the BJP’s onslaught, accusing the Siddaramaiah regime of pursuing cases against Hindu activists, while at the same time mollycoddling minorities with generous grants. The BJP has also been attacking the party for turning down invites to attend the Ram Mandir ceremony on January 22.
The strategic use of Swami Vivekananda’s birthday to launch an important government programme may blunt the BJP’s weapon to some extent.
‘We, as Congressmen, believe in Swami Vivekananda’s idealism.
A Hindu leader, he was a true symbol of secularism. We urge the BJP
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