Ballari: BJP leader Sriramulu apologised to Congress leader Siddaramaiah, for the statements made by his close friend and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy. While campaigning for Sriramulu's sister J Shantha, contesting from Ballari for the upcoming Karnataka by-election, Reddy said that the sins committed by Siddaramaiah had cost him his son's life. "Losing his son was God’s punishment because Siddaramaiah separated me from my own children (by putting me behind bars)," he said.

Siddaramaiah's 39-year-old elder son Rakesh, who was planning to contest the recent Assembly election, died of multi-organ failure at the Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium in July 2016.

Siddaramaiah reacted, through a Tweet, saying, "Janardhana Reddy spoke about my  son, but let God bless him and let his children not be punished for  the sins he has committed."

Siddaramaiah had reacted to the same and had Tweeted saying, "Janardhana Reddy spoke about my  son, but let God bless him and let his children not be punished for  the sins he has committed."

Former BJP minister Reddy further referred to a character from Ramayan - King Dasharatha, who was cursed by the parents of a boy, who gets killed by the king's arrow. “I’ve suffered whatever I had to, but God has punished those responsible for it," he said.

Reddy was referring to his stay in jail for 40 months, before getting out on bail, in the illegal mining case.

Regretting this, BJP leader Suresh Kumar has condemned Reddy's statement referring to the death of Siddaramaiah's son.

 

"Talking about the death of opposition party leader's (Siddaramaiah's) son just for political mileage is truly inhuman. Let no one face the pain of losing a son. Let us be humane," Suresh Kumar said.  

According to latest reports, BJP state president Yeddyurappa has also condemned Reddy's statements.

Congress leaders too have criticised Reddy for talking about the death of Siddaramaiah's son and using it as a political tool.