The Karnataka unit of the Congress on Thursday shared a video that allegedly shows government officials giving instructions to a Dalit family on serving only branded and packaged tea powder rather than any ordinary tea to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa.
On Wednesday, CM Bommai, Yediyurappa, Tourism Minister Anand Singh, Water Resources Minister Goving Karjol and other BJP leaders had breakfast at the house of a Dalit family in Kamalapura in Vijayanagara district. A video of Bommai having breakfast was shared by Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
In the video shared by the Congress, an official accompanied by a Sub-Inspector can be heard saying that they would take the tea sample. The officials were heard giving instructions to the family even before Bommai and his team reached there.
The official can be heard saying, "...Get 250 grams of...any company's tea. Keep other tea dust separately. Don't use it. Get the company (branded) items."
The video clip ends by showing a local newspaper report that said the officials instructed the Dalit family to use branded items only. The video further claimed that only packaged mineral water was served to the CM and others.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP pver the incident, Congress said it exposed the mentality of the Sangh Parivar.
"The real mentality of the Sangh Parivar has been exposed in the Chief Minister's 'Dalit house meal' farce. Meals at Dalits' home had been an insult for the BJP, now it suspects it too. Did the PayCM Basavaraj Bommai entered Dalits' houses to insult Dalits? Is BJP so suspicious of Dalits?" Congress tweeted.
The Congress has coined a term 'PayCM' accusing CM Bommai of running a corrupt government where hefty commission is charged for serving the public.
No immediate reaction from BJP to this tweet has been received yet.
(With PTI inputs)