Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar alleged on Tuesday that the BJP is politicising religion, adding that Lord Ram is not the property of the saffron party.

Speaking in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, “The BJP is playing politics with religion. There should be dharma in politics, but not the other way round. There is Ram in Siddaramaiah, Shiva in Shivakumar, Hari in Hariprasad and Krishna in Krishna Byregowa’s names. Hindu religion is not BJP’s private property,” he said.

“Our government has been giving equal importance to the Muzrai department, Haj Committee and Minority Welfare department. The BJP was in power, why did it not take up people-centric programmes?

“The five guarantee schemes are benefitting people from all castes and creeds. We had a government with the JD-S. Now, they have joined hands with the same people who brought down that government,” he said.

Asked about BJP leaders’ criticism about the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister raising ‘Jai Sri Ram’ chants, he said, “Is Sri Ram their personal property? Ram belongs to everyone. They are spreading lies to project Congress as anti-Hindu. The Muzrai department under the leadership of Ramalinga Reddy has taken up special poojas in all the temples and the BJP can’t digest this.”