On Tuesday (26th March), Former state CM Basavaraj Bommai lambasted Congress party and Karnataka Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi for giving a call for violence against youth who chant pro-Modi slogans. Reacting to Tangadagi’s remark that those who chant ‘Modi Modi ‘must be slapped’, Bommai said, “Wait for some time; people will slap the Congress party through voting.”
Notably, the Congress leader had courted controversy while speaking at a meeting of Congress workers held in Karatagy on Monday (25th March). Tangadagi alleged during his speech that PM Modi came to power by “lying”.
In a bid to target the BJP, Minister Tangadagi said, “Two crore jobs PM Modi promised. Did he give it? They should be ashamed. Those youth supporters of his who chant ‘Modi Modi’, can slap them. They have run everything based on lies for the past 10 years.”
The Congress leader went further and accused PM Modi of doing ‘stunts’. The Karnataka Minister added, “So they think they can fool for another 5 years. PM Modi promised 100 smart cities in India. Where are they? Name one. He is smart, he dresses well, he gives smart speeches. He keeps changing his outfits. Then a stunt by the PM-he goes into the depths of the ocean and there he does puja. Is this the kind of work a prime minister should do?”
BJP calls the remarks “Frustration of defeat”
Apart from Former state CM, the Bharatiya Janata Party also launched a scathing attack against Karnataka Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi for his ‘slap Modi supporters’ remarks.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said that such comments were a “sign” that the INDI alliance was “frustrated” while “apprehending defeat” in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Trivedi said, “He has said that the students who raise ‘Modi, Modi’ slogans should be slapped… I want to ask those (Rahul Gandhi) who keep crying that democracy is finished in the country: Is it fair to slap someone for raising political slogans?”
Lashing out at the anti-BJP front, the BJP leader said, “INDI Alliance is not just moving towards defeat but also towards self-destruction…”
Former CM slams Congress over the row around NRDF funds, asks to compare funds released during UPA and NDA governments
Meanwhile, Former CM Bommai blasted the Congress party over the allocation of NDRF funds. He said, “The state’s economic condition has become horrible, due to which it moved the Supreme Court. It was nothing but a political stunt. Instead of complaining about the non-receipt of funds from the central government, the Congress leaders must furnish details of the NDRF funds received during the UPA and NDA governments.”
Regarding reports of dissidence in the party, Bommai said, “The situation in Karnataka has been conducive for the BJP due to the Modi wave across the nation. Dissidence is being resolved (within the party).”
Bommai added that national leaders would come to Karnataka for the election campaign.
“The tour program of the national leaders would be finalised within two or three days. They would campaign in Dharwad and Gadag-Haveri constituencies. Former CM Yediyurappa and State BJP President BYVijendra would campaign in Haveri Lok Sabha constituency”, the former Chief Minister added.
The 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka will go to poll in two phases–on April 26 and May 7. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and JDS fought together against the BJP but were still decimated. The BJP had won a record 25 seats, while the Congress and the JDS won just a single seat each. This time BJP is in alliance with JDS, and wants to improve its tally in the state to achieve the ambitious target of 370 seats.
(With Inputs from ANI)
