“BJP Has a ‘Washing Powder Nirma’ Machine” – Minister Santosh Lad
Udupi: Karnataka State Labour Minister Santosh Lad has launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the party of operating a figurative “Washing Powder Nirma” machine to cleanse politicians facing corruption allegations. His remarks were made during a press conference in Udupi on Friday, where he addressed a range of issues, including menstrual leave for women and ongoing political discussions within the state.
Lad’s comments were triggered by recent raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the residence of Congress MLA Pappi. He contrasted this action with the BJP’s acceptance of leaders like Ajit Pawar, who previously faced allegations of corruption amounting to Rs 60,000 crore, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also had allegations leveled against him.
“In the BJP, whoever gives money is brought in and made part of the party,” Lad stated. “Ajit Pawar gave money for the entire Maharashtra election, the BJP had accused him, but now that he has joined the BJP, everything is ‘clean’!”
He sarcastically added, “In the BJP, there’s a ‘Washing Powder Nirma’ machine. Whoever is corrupt is put into it and cleansed. Already 25 politicians have been ‘cleaned’ this way. Once they join the BJP, they all become honest — amazing!”.
Lad further challenged the BJP’s claims of being a corruption-free party, questioning India’s ranking in global indices. “The BJP has been around for so many years and claims not a single rupee of corruption has happened. Then look at India’s ranking in corruption! Similarly, check the hunger index, poverty index, freedom of speech, GDP, passport rankings — see where we stand!”.
Prior to his remarks on corruption, Minister Lad lauded the Karnataka government’s decision to grant menstrual leave for women. He credited Ranjita Priyadarshini from Odisha and Kavita Reddy for bringing the issue to his attention, stating that the proposal originated from them about a year ago.
“The Karnataka government has unanimously approved this decision. It will be extremely helpful for many women, especially those from lower and middle-income groups,” Lad said, emphasizing the positive impact on women working in the garment industry and small-scale factories. He added that the decision was reached after forming a committee and gathering opinions across the state and was inspired by the principles of Buddha, Basava, and Ambedkar.
Addressing ongoing discussions regarding cabinet expansion and annual gatherings, Lad clarified that these are routine processes. “Annual gatherings happen every year. This is not new…Cabinet expansion or reshuffling is a routine process. The timing is decided by the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and high command.”
Finally, Lad addressed the state’s educational, social, and economic census, clarifying that it is not a caste census but a data collection effort to understand the educational and economic status of various groups. He defended the project, stating, “Siddaramaiah or the government did not conduct this census to divide society. It will help understand the educational and economic status of different groups.” He also commented briefly on the ‘Big Boss Nut Bolt’ issue, stating that the Deputy Chief Ministers are addressing the lack of environmental clearance.