Bengaluru, March 9 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly and senior BJP leader R. Ashoka on Monday criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over his remarks on India’s sovereignty, stating that it was ironic for the Chief Minister to lecture the country on independence while admitting that his continuation in office depends on the Congress high command.

In a strongly worded statement, Ashoka said it was “quite amusing” to hear Siddaramaiah speak about sovereignty and independence. He alleged that the Chief Minister himself had publicly stated that he would remain in office “as long as the Congress high command wishes”.

“A leader who needs permission from Delhi durbars to keep his own chair is now worried about India’s sovereignty on the global stage,” Ashoka said.

He further remarked that Siddaramaiah appeared to assume that the entire world functioned like the Congress party, where decisions are made elsewhere and leaders merely wait for instructions.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, LoP Ashoka said India under the current leadership engages with major global powers solely on the basis of national interest. He cited examples such as purchasing oil from Russia, cooperating with the United States, and building partnerships with countries across the world.

“For someone whose political survival depends on the mood and whims of the high command, the idea of independent decision-making may naturally sound unfamiliar,” he said.

Ashoka also questioned the functioning of the Congress government in Karnataka, alleging that the state appeared to be run by the Congress high command rather than by its elected Chief Minister.

“When a leader openly admits that his own tenure depends on someone else’s approval, lectures about national sovereignty sound less like statesmanship and more like political comedy,” he said.

Earlier, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched a sharp attack on PM Modi, alleging that India’s sovereignty and independent decision-making were being compromised due to the Central government’s handling of relations with the United States.

In a strongly worded statement, Siddaramaiah said it was “deeply humiliating” that the United States was openly saying it would “allow” India to buy Russian oil only for a limited period.

He said no foreign government should ever be in a position to grant or deny India permission to run its economy.

“Yet this is the situation India finds itself in under PM Modi,” he said.

–IANS

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