Bengaluru: As the BJP kick-started its ‘Parivartan Rally’ in the Karnataka on Thursday, chief minister Siddaramaiah took a dig at BJP by dubbing it as a ‘pashchatapa (penance) rally’.

Siddaramaiah, who was speaking at his official residence Krishna said the BJP should apologise to the people for their sins at the rally.

“Who is attending the rally? Yeddyurappa? Mr. Shah? Both of them had been in jail, what change will they bring?” the CM asked. He alleged that the BJP is destroying the fabric of the society by disrupting communal harmony.

Siddaramaiah said the people had already made up their minds to vote the Congress back into power and had not forgotten the corruption scandals during BJP’s regime. “The people of Karnataka are politically mature, unlike the people of Uttar Pradesh or any other South Indian state. They are not emotional, and it is not possible for the BJP to polarise them via Hindutva philosophy,” he said.

Mocking the Centre’s tagline of ‘Achhe din,’ he said, “The Prime Minister promised ‘Achhe din,’ but after three-and-a-half years, they have only come for Adani, Advani, Mr (Amit) Shah and Jay Shah.” He also attacked the measures of demonetisation and GST, and alleged that small concessions in GST were being offered with an eye on Gujarat elections,” he added.

On the controversy over the celebration of Tipu Jayanti, the CM heaped praise on Tipu. “The people of Karnataka have accepted Tipu. If he was against Hindus, would he have helped the Sringeri mutt and the Nanjangud temple? If Karnataka is the number one state today, it is only because of Tipu.”