Sawal To Banta Hai: As the Assembly election in Karnataka is approaching, the "war of words" between leaders of different political parties has intensified. On Thursday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came down heavily on Congress after it released 40-star campaigners, including the name of Rajya Sabha member Imran Pratapgarhi. The BJP claimed that Pratapgarhi, a poet-turned-politician, is a close friend of Atiq Ahmad and used to call the slain gangster as his "guru" and brother.
Union Minister BJP's Karnataka Election Management Committee Convener Shobha Karandlaje alleged that Pratapgarhi used to write poetry in praise of Ahmed, who used to take part in his 'mushaira'.
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What Imran Pratapgarhi said about allegations?
Amid these allegations, the Congress leader appeared on India TV's show 'Sawal To Banta Hai' and clarified his stand. Speaking at the show, Pratapgarhi claimed that efforts are being made to crush the democracy in the country and suppress the voice of the people. "The government wants that no one should say anything against its dictatorship and the forces are being misused against those who speak," he added.
Clarifying on video praising slain mafia Atiq Ahmed, Pratapgarhi said that it was a normal event where the former was present as the chief guest and that praising him was just a "way to create an atmosphere" there. "Criminalization of politics is a different topic... I am a poet and I keep coming across many musclemen. This is a common thing," he added.
Congress stands by Pratapgarhi
Meanwhile, Congress has defended the party's move to appoint Pratapgarhi as a star campaigner for the upcoming Karnataka polls. "Imran Pratapgarhi is the chairman of our party's minority cell and he will be coming. What is wrong with that? We are not calling the person who has committed a crime or is behind the bars," Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh told the media.
