Bangalore, November 17: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G. Parameshwara and AICC spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi on Saturday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for indulging in negative and false criticism and using foul language against Congress stalwarts at the Centre, as they have no issues to convince the people.
Addressing members of the Legal and Human Rights Cell of the KPCC, which organised a Thinkers’ Convention, Mr. Siddaramaiah posed innumerable questions to the BJP and Mr. Modi to buttress his attack. He asked whether the National Democratic Alliance or the BJP talked about social justice. Why did they not implement the Right to Education Act, MNREGA, the National Food Security Act, all of which the United Progressive Alliance government did?
On Mr. Modi’s rally on Sunday, Mr. Siddaramaiah said speeches alone would not bring about socio-economic change. Ridiculing the ‘Get victory for India (Bharata Gellisi)’, he asked: “Is it a cricket or hockey match?”
He reminded them that the BJP was reduced to an insignificant position in the Legislative Assembly, in spite of Mr. Modi’s campaigning in the recent elections. Katta Subramanya Naidu, the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who was jailed for alleged corruption, and K.S. Eshwarappa, from whose house a currency counting machine was seized, were seeking votes again, he added.
Dr. Parameshwara told Mr. Modi not to day-dream as he was still a leader confined to Gujarat. He said Gujarat ranked 8 in agriculture, 13 in education and 17 in health indicators.
He said while even developed countries faced economic crisis, banks and corporate houses in India made profits and the GDP was maintained at reasonable levels. He exuded confidence that the Congress would win all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the elections. Mr. Siddaramaiah appealed to the advocates to help the party win at least 25 seats.
Mr. Singhvi said the MNREGA was the world’s largest social welfare measure and added that the BJP did not know the importance of such a programme. He said even a developed country like the U.S. was taking up such schemes for its people. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra and Mr. Siddaramaiah promised that the advocates in the cell would be considered while nominations were announced for various posts in the government.
