Congress chief Kharge slams PM Modi, Amit Shah and calls 2-hour bandh against corruption in Karnataka

Mallikarjun Kharge calls on the Karnataka Congress to make the Praja Dhwani Yatra successful to defeat the BJP in the 2023 Assembly polls.

ByMahesh M Goudar

Published Mar 05, 2023 | 11:31 PMUpdatedMar 05, 2023 | 11:33 PM

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge speaks at a party meet at Koratagere in the Tumakuru district of Karnataka on Sunday, 5 March, 2023. (Supplied)

All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday,  March, for not uttering a word about corruption in the Basavaraj Bommai-led Karnataka government.

Kharge was in Koratagere in the Tumakuru district of the state to inaugurate Rajeev Bhavana, a party office, where he also chaired a district-level Congress workers’ meeting on Sunday, 5 March.

He also took part in the first campaign rally for the state Congress unit for the April-May Assembly polls.

Kharge was given a rousing welcome by the state workers in Koratagere.

‘Modi, Shah don’t speak about corruption’ 

Addressing the district-level party workers, Kharge said: “When the Karnataka Lokayukta conducted a raid on a BJP MLA’s residence, they found crores of rupees. The Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate target innocents. Where have they gone now?”

Related: Karnataka Lokayukta seizes ₹2.2 crore from BJP MLA’s office

He added: “The BJP is ruling this country by threatening and intimidation. As the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls are nearing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP national president JP Nadda are frequently visiting the state.

He noted: “They are chairing party meetings and strengthening their organisations and inaugurating many programmes and works.”

He also said: “The state BJP leaders seek votes for the Lok Sabha, taluk, and panchayat elections in the name of Modi. Is he going to be the party’s chief-ministerial face here? Is he going to rule here?”

Kharge added: “Modi has not come to power by garnering 51 percent votes. He managed to get only 37.8 percent of the votes [in the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections], and a record 60.3 percent of people did not support him in the elections.”

‘Praja Dhwani Yatra has to be successful’

Kharge also appealed to the party leaders and workers to make the ongoing Praja Dhwani Yatra a successful “Vijaya Yatre” — victory tour.

“The Congress’ Praja Dhwani Yatra has to be a successful Vijay Yatre. Only then will the state witness tranquillity, peace and development. Therefore, everyone should be upright and make sincere efforts to defeat the BJP in the state. Everyone should unite to save this democracy,” he said.

Under the headship of CLP leader Siddaramaiah and KPCC president DK Shivakumar, the Congress has completed the second leg of the Praja Dhwani Yatra in over 100 Assembly seats.

Accusing the BJP of misusing the Constitution, Kharge said: “It is only the Congress that treats Hindus, Muslims, Christians and others as equals. One should observe how the Modi government is misusing the Constitution.”

Also read: Lokayukta complaint over Karnataka CMO cash gift to journalists

He continued: “Modi is visiting Karnataka frequently, and has also visited my constituency. He used government vehicles and aircraft to criticise the Congress. What did Modi and Shah have to say about the ’40 percent commission’ in Karnataka? Why is he not looking into the corruption of the BJP-ruled government here?”

He added: “Nowadays, the BJP leaders has accused of looting 40 percent and distribute the remaining to other political parties. They are looting 100 percent. This kind of loot is possible when the BJP is at the helm.”

Kharge also criticised the Central government for failing to address unemployment, controlling price hike of fuel and natural gas, and other major issues.

Karnataka Congress to observe 2-hr bandh       

Karnataka’s Congress unit has called for a two-hour-long bandh on 9 March as part of its fight against the alleged corruption of the ruling BJP.

This follows the recovery of over ₹8 crore cash from its Channagiri MLA Virupakshappa Maadal’s son Prashanth Kumar MV, who is a KAS officer and chief accountant in the BWSSB.

Announcing the two-hour bandh, DK Shivakumar said, “The party’s protest will not affect any following services: schools, colleges, transport and health in the state. This bandh has been called to fight against the corrupt BJP government.”

The Lokayukta police seized ₹8.02 crore in cash from Kumar, including ₹6.1 crore from his residence in Bengaluru, on Friday and ₹2.02 crore from his private office on Thursday.

Virupakshappa Maadal resigned from the chairman post of the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), which makes the renowned Mysore Sandal Soap.

The Lokayukta police seized another ₹16.47 lakh from Virupakshappa’s residence in the Davanagere district.

Shivakumar said: “The Lokayukta brought out the corruption and I compliment it. Aimed at attracting public attention towards corruption, we are holding protests and are demanding the chief minister’s resignation.”

He added: “I also appeal to various organisations and have also discussed it with them. So, in the fight against corruption, the party is calling for a bandh on 9 March from 9 am across the state to make Karnataka corruption-free.”

Requesting public cooperation for the bandh, the KPCC president said: “It will be a two-hour protest, during which we appeal all traders and shopkeepers to cooperate by shutting shop their shops and establishments from 9 am to 11 am.”

He also appealed to the party workers not to take the law into their hands during the protest.

 (With inputs from PTI)