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Karnataka elections: PM Modi launches attack on Congress in first leg of final campaign blitz
The PM is scheduled to hold two roadshows across 19 of the 28 assembly constituencies in Bengaluru on Saturday and Sunday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday began the first leg of his three-day campaign blitz for the May 10 Karnataka assembly elections with a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of “kneeling” before terrorism to save its vote bank as he referred to the protests against the release of controversial film ‘The Kerala Story’. The PM is scheduled to hold two roadshows across 19 of the 28 assembly constituencies in Bengaluru on Saturday and Sunday.
The 224-member Karnataka assembly is set to go to the polls on May 10, and the campaigning will end on May 8.
“The Kerala Story film is based on a terror conspiracy. It shows the ugly truth of terrorism and exposes terrorists’ design. Congress is opposing the film made on terrorism and standing with terror tendencies. The Congress has shielded terrorism for vote bank,” the PM said while addressing a rally in Bellary.
The attack comes on the day the Kerala high court refused to stay the controversial film, which hit the theatres on Friday. The movie has triggered protests for allegedly showing women in Kerala being forcibly converted to Islam and made to join the Islamic State. The HC, however, recorded the submission of the producer that the teaser of the movie, which claimed that over 32,000 women from Kerala were recruited to IS, will be removed from their social media accounts. Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) and opposition Congress have said the film falsely claims that 32,000 women got converted and radicalised and were deployed in terror missions both in India and the world.
“BJP has always been tough on terrorism. But whenever there is an action taken against terrorism, Congress develops a stomachache. Today, the whole world is worried about terrorism. We have suffered from this for a long time. Terrorism is anti-humanity, anti-human values and anti-development. I am surprised that for the sake of its vote bank, Congress has surrendered before terror. Can such a party protect Karnataka and its civilians in any way. Under the climate of terror, the industries here, the IT industry, farmers, and rich culture and heritage here will be destroyed,” he said.
The Congress, however, was involved in “backdoor political bargaining” with people that had proclivity with terror groups, he alleged, adding that “people of Karnataka must be cautious about the Congress.”
Retorting back, Congress MP K Muraleedharan said that his party has been opposing terrorism in the country from the very beginning.
“The Congress has been opposing terrorism in the country from the very beginning. We are against communal forces as well. PM Modi says Congress is supporting terrorists for vote bank politics. We are only supporting our minorities and standing up for their rights,” Muraleedharan was reported as saying by news agency ANI.
The PM also raised the pitch to the Congress for promising to ban organisations like the Bajrang Dal, without explicitly naming the outfit. “The Congress is shuddering to see the support we are getting. They get scared even if I say ‘Jai Bajrangbali’,” he said while addressing a rally in Ballari, as he made the audience repeat the chant with him several times, like in his last rally in the state.
“The people of Karnataka have understood the game of the Congress and the JDS. A vote to JDS will give Karnataka a weak and unstable government and a weak government can never build a strong Karnataka,” he added.
Hitting back at the Congress’s “40 per cent commission” barbs alluding to alleged corruption in the state government, the PM said Congress had long back accepted that it’s an 85%commission party.
Even as the Congress has made allegations of corruption against the Basavraj Bommai-led BJP government, calling the BJP a “40% sarkara” — a reference to charges made by some contractors that a commission is charged in development projects — Prime Minister Modi said the Congress has for years admitted it is a “85% commission party.”
“Rajiv Gandhi had said that when the central government sends ₹1, only 15 paise reach the people. This means that he himself had accepted Congress as 85% commission party,” the PM said.
Continuing his attack on the Congress manifesto, the PM alleged that it was full of “appeasement and lies”.
“We have the roadmap to make Karnataka number 1. But Congress’ manifesto has only fake narratives and bans in it. They are in such a condition that they are shivering,” the Prime Minister said.
