Karnataka Cong chief lashes out at PM

Team Udayavani, Feb 11, 2019, 7:29 AM IST

Bengaluru: The Congress on Sunday, February 10 questioned the saffron party over its alleged bid to topple the coalition government is the state.

Speaking to reporters here, Pradesh Congress President Dinesh Gundu Rao posed a few questions to Modi and demanded answers from him.

“Your (PM’s) popular slogan has been, ‘Na khaoonaga, na khaane doonga’ (I will neither indulge in corruption, nor let others indulge in it). Then how did you let horse-trading and bribing of MLAs by your party leaders take place in Karnataka? Are you willing to take any unethical action in order to attain power?” he questioned.

“How do you justify statements of your party leader BS Yeddyurappa in an audio clip that surfaced, where Yeddyurappa offered money to MLAs to switch sides and spoke about your illegitimate control over the judicial system,” he asked. 

“Please make it a point to answer these very legitimate questions during your visit to Hubballi. These questions aren’t political in nature. These are quintessential questions of public importance, especially to the people of Karnataka,” he said.

Amid the turmoil in the ruling coalition that has cast a shadow over the stability of his government, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had Friday released the audio clip in which Yeddyurappa was purportedly trying to lure JD(S) MLA Naganagouda through his son.

The state BJP strongman had, however, said the audio clip was ‘fake’ and a “concocted story”.

The KPCC chief also alleged discrimination by the Centre against the state, saying Karnataka was reeling under drought and had requested Rs 2,400 crore to deal with it, but the Centre has released only Rs 900 crore. 

On the other hand the central government’s assistance to NDA-ruled Maharashtra stood at Rs 4,714.28 crore, he claimed.

He said mandatory payments of MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore is still pending, and hit out at the Modi government for claiming credit for establishing an IIT in Dharwad, without acknowledging the state government’s contribution for allotting a 500-acre prime land.

Ahead of the BJP rally, the PM is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Dharwad) on Sunday.

Alleging that the Karnataka Chief Minister was not officially invited to the event, Rao termed it an ‘insult’ to the state.

He also targeted the PM on Rafale deal and alleged “sidelining” of Bengaluru-headquartered HAL.

Pilot said India is an aspirational country and young people want a level playing field and opportunities.

Asked if Congress supported a woman Dalit Prime Minister, Pilot said the party is pro-women and pro-Dalit, but winning adequate number of seats decides leadership issues. “There has been no Prime Minister from the Gandhi family for the past 35 years, so it is wrong to say Rahul Gandhi is doing this to become one. Congress has an equal presence in both northern and southern India,” he said. Moreover, BJP, which was in power in the cow belt had now lost three states and there is a political messaging that is symbolic of things to come, he added.

Asked what was the Congress’ vision for the coming Lok Sabha elections, Pilot said the party manifesto would not be a book of ‘jumlas’ and various details, including the promise of universal basic income, wherever applicable, would be placed before the people in the beginning of March. “Mr Chidambaram is preparing the manifesto. At the end of the month, we will have the draft of what Congress wants to do. I promise you it would not be a book of jumlas. Mr Rahul Gandhi has already promised universal basic income for entire country wherever applicable. Details will be out very soon in the beginning of March,” he said.