Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks targeting Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge have sparked a heated political discourse in Karnataka, underscoring escalating tensions. PM Modi criticised the Congress party for failing to deliver on its electoral promises in the state.
In response, the Congress party launched a multifaceted attack on Modi, with Kharge stating that before criticizing others, the Prime Minister should consider that “Modi Ki Guarantee” is merely a “cruel joke” to 1.4 crore Indians. He contended that the ‘B’ in BJP represents ‘betrayal’ and the ‘J’ stands for ‘jumla’ (empty promises). In a post on X, Kharge described Modi’s administration with terms like “Lies, Deceit, Fakery, Loot, and Publicity,” labeling the Prime Minister’s focus on a 100-day action plan as a superficial publicity stunt.
Alongside Kharge, other Congress leaders, including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, and Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, criticised Modi and defended Congress’s history of fulfilling its commitments.
Kharge also raised concerns about the promise of “two crore jobs per year,” questioning why India’s unemployment rate has reached a 45-year high and why there are stampedes for a limited number of job vacancies. Kharge demanded accountability for the reported 70 paper leaks over seven years and asked who was responsible for eliminating 5 lakh government jobs due to privatization of public sector units.
Highlighting the rising costs of living, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge questioned, “Why have household savings dropped to a 50-year low? Why has the price of a typical meal surged by 52% in just the past year? For instance, tomato prices have skyrocketed by 247%, potatoes by 180%, and onions by 60%.” He also asked, “Who imposed GST on essential food items like milk, yogurt, flour, and lentils? Who is burdening the middle class with the Long Term Capital Gains Tax through what can only be called tax terrorism?”
In a pointed critique of the BJP’s “Acche Din” promise, Kharge remarked that the rupee is at a historic low, He asked weather the BJP govt has accrued over Rs 150 lakh crores in debt over the last decade, which translates to a burden of Rs 1.5 lakh for every Indian. He further added that the MSME sector has been devastated by demonetization and a flawed GST policy.
He alleged that the government has effectively snatched government jobs from the SC, ST, OBC, and EWS communities, resulting in a 91% rise in casual and contract employment.
Regarding the BJP’s claim of doubling farmers’ incomes by 2022, Kharge criticized the lack of a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP), the imposition of GST on 35 agricultural products, and the transformation of permanent military recruitment into temporary positions through the Agnipath scheme. He concluded by stating, “Modi ji, before pointing fingers at others, remember that ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ is nothing more than a cruel joke on 1.4 billion Indians!”
(With Inputs from PTI)