<p>Senior BJP leader Lahar Singh Siroya on Monday asked the Congress to clarify on the involvement of Naxals and Maoists in the ongoing Bharat Jodo march in Karnataka. </p>.<p>Siroya, a Rajya Sabha member, asked 10 questions to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah who are leading the 510-km Bharat Jodo march in the state. </p>.<p>“Can they confirm that Naxals/Maoists and their sympathisers are not part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra’s Karnataka leg? Were these people involved in the planning of the yatra?” Siroya asked in a statement. “Can they confirm if some Congressmen have helped Naxals/Maoists to collect large sums of money to build and run media outlets in recent years? Will they agree to a probe into the money sources of these people?” </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/mysuru/congress-sees-strong-response-to-rahuls-bharat-jodo-yatra-in-mysuru-1150399.html" target="_blank">Congress sees strong response to Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Mysuru</a></strong></p>.<p>Siroya even referred to the death of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh without naming her. He asked if the Siddaramaiah-led government “deliberately looked away” as Naxals/Maoists “exploited the death of a famous journalist to strengthen their operations?” Siroya also wondered if Siddaramaiah’s friends helped the Naxals/Maoists with money and logistics to organise memorial functions for the journalist. </p>.<p>The BJP leader asked the Congress to clarify if Naxals/Maoists hijacked the recent farmers’ agitation against farm laws in Karnataka. He also asked Siddaramaiah to spell out what his government’s policy towards Naxals/Maoists was. </p>.<p>Accusing Siddaramaiah of having “a soft corner” for the banned PFI, Siroya asked if the Congress leader had a similar sentiment for Naxals/Maoists. “Recently, when action was taken against PFI, Siddaramaiah said there should be action against RSS, too. Has he ever sought action against Naxals/Maoists?” Siroya asked. </p>.<p>Siroya asked Siddaramaiah to specify if he sought action against his “friends” who organised a pro-China function from which he withdrew after it became a controversy. </p>.<p>“If everything is above board, will Congress leaders ask for a probe by central agencies into the affairs of Naxals/Maoists and their sympathisers in Karnataka?” Siroya said.</p>.<p><strong>Priyank’s reply</strong></p>.<p>Reacting to Siroya, Karnataka Congress’ communications chief Priyank Kharge tweeted: “Our Rajya Sabha MP has asked questions hoping it will be “star question” in Rajya Sabha. May I suggest that he direct these questions to HM Amit Shah who is in charge of “intelligence” wing or is he suggesting that HM is incompetent & doesn’t have a clue what the Naxals are up to?”</p>
<p>Senior BJP leader Lahar Singh Siroya on Monday asked the Congress to clarify on the involvement of Naxals and Maoists in the ongoing Bharat Jodo march in Karnataka. </p>.<p>Siroya, a Rajya Sabha member, asked 10 questions to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah who are leading the 510-km Bharat Jodo march in the state. </p>.<p>“Can they confirm that Naxals/Maoists and their sympathisers are not part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra’s Karnataka leg? Were these people involved in the planning of the yatra?” Siroya asked in a statement. “Can they confirm if some Congressmen have helped Naxals/Maoists to collect large sums of money to build and run media outlets in recent years? Will they agree to a probe into the money sources of these people?” </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/mysuru/congress-sees-strong-response-to-rahuls-bharat-jodo-yatra-in-mysuru-1150399.html" target="_blank">Congress sees strong response to Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Mysuru</a></strong></p>.<p>Siroya even referred to the death of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh without naming her. He asked if the Siddaramaiah-led government “deliberately looked away” as Naxals/Maoists “exploited the death of a famous journalist to strengthen their operations?” Siroya also wondered if Siddaramaiah’s friends helped the Naxals/Maoists with money and logistics to organise memorial functions for the journalist. </p>.<p>The BJP leader asked the Congress to clarify if Naxals/Maoists hijacked the recent farmers’ agitation against farm laws in Karnataka. He also asked Siddaramaiah to spell out what his government’s policy towards Naxals/Maoists was. </p>.<p>Accusing Siddaramaiah of having “a soft corner” for the banned PFI, Siroya asked if the Congress leader had a similar sentiment for Naxals/Maoists. “Recently, when action was taken against PFI, Siddaramaiah said there should be action against RSS, too. Has he ever sought action against Naxals/Maoists?” Siroya asked. </p>.<p>Siroya asked Siddaramaiah to specify if he sought action against his “friends” who organised a pro-China function from which he withdrew after it became a controversy. </p>.<p>“If everything is above board, will Congress leaders ask for a probe by central agencies into the affairs of Naxals/Maoists and their sympathisers in Karnataka?” Siroya said.</p>.<p><strong>Priyank’s reply</strong></p>.<p>Reacting to Siroya, Karnataka Congress’ communications chief Priyank Kharge tweeted: “Our Rajya Sabha MP has asked questions hoping it will be “star question” in Rajya Sabha. May I suggest that he direct these questions to HM Amit Shah who is in charge of “intelligence” wing or is he suggesting that HM is incompetent & doesn’t have a clue what the Naxals are up to?”</p>
