K'taka CM Siddaramaiah invokes Bapu's India vision via video message

BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has urged people to take a pledge to live by Mahatma Gandhi's vision of "a free, secular and inclusive India", releasing a video message on the Mahatma's death anniversary amid araging debate on communalism in the state where assembly election is due in two months. 

The professionally shot 1.05 minute video, tweeted not on the



official @CMofKarnataka handle, but through his personal handle @Siddaramaiah, begins with Gandhiji's voice message in Hindi, with English subtitles on how India should be known as a model free country where people can practise their religions. 

The BJP took exception to the CM's move, while some comments on Twitter echoed the issues raised by the opposition party.