Modi talks of graft, but failed to appoint Lokpal, ridicules Rahul

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talking about corruption in Karnataka, despite his inability to appoint Lokpal at the Centre in the past four years.

"Four years have passed since you took over as the prime minister, you haven't appointed Lokpal (anti-corruption ombudsman). And you talk of corruption in Karnataka," the Congress leader said, addressing a rally as part of his Janaashirvaada Yatre.

Though Modi was the Gujarat chief minister since 2002, he did not appoint Lokayukta in that state. Now, the prime minister speaks of corruption. He appears to have forgotten that his own partymen in Karnataka, B S Yeddyurappa and his four ministers, had been to jail on corruption charges, he added.

Rahul kept up his attack on the prime minister on demonetisation and Goods and Service Tax (GST). People of the entire nation were forced to stand in queue to deposit their hard-earned money in banks, while thieves easily got their black money converted to white.

Though Gabbar Singh Tax (a reference to the GST) ruined businesses across the nation, only one person benefited, the Congress president said. "In this gloomy economic scenario, BJP national president Amit Shah's son Jay Shah made a windfall. He invested Rs 50,000 and in three months, he made a profit of Rs 80 crore," he charged.

'Learn from Siddu'

All that Modi has given is slogans and not fulfilled any of the promises made to people during the 2014 parliamentary polls. However, the prime minister does everything for people like Nirav Modi (billionaire businessman) who ran away with Rs 22,000 crore that belonged to the people, he charged, adding that Modi should learn from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on how to provide good governance and fulfil promises.

After the rally, Rahul visited the historic Veerabhadreshwara Swami temple and offered prayers. He shook hands with curious onlookers gathered around. He also visited a farm near Godachi and spoke to the farmers. At the nearby Sannala village, Gandhi got down from his vehicle to meet Lambani women dressed in their traditional Banjara attire.

Will Siddu continue as CM?

Rahul dropped hints of Siddaramaiah continuing as the chief minister if the party is voted back to power in the coming polls. "Myself and Siddaramaiah will take the state forward after the coming elections," he stated, raising eyebrows in the Congress circles.

DH News Service