Stop bragging, give aides their due, Rahul Gandhi tells Narendra Modi

CHIKKAPADASALAGI (JAMKHANDI): Invoking verses once again from 12th-century social reformer Basavanna’s philosophy, Nudidante Nade (Practice what you preach), Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday asked PM Narendra Modi to stop bragging about himself and praise the work of his cabinet colleagues.
“Basavanna also said never blow your own trumpet. But Modi always praises himself at rallies, claiming that nothing had happened in the country in the past 66 years. At least he should give some credit to his cabinet colleagues likes Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh,” Rahul said, addressing a gathering after offering bagina to Chikkapadasalagi barrage, Jamkhandi taluk, on Sunday, Day 2 of his second leg tour.

“Modi often claims that he is the lone facilitator of change in this country. Is it possible for any one person to transform the country? The PM should stop boasting and give some credit to others, including L K Advani. A country can develop only if there is teamwork,” he added.

In his 30-minute Hindi speech laced with sarcasm, Rahul invoked Basavanna’s verses at least four times during his speech, and exhorted the PM to follow them, in an apparent bid to strike a chord with the major community Lingayats, who are the major support base of the BJP in Karnataka. “Basavanna is the guiding light behind the Congress party. He had said work is worship, and this is the policy we in the Congress follow. We want to take everyone and walk ahead, without violence and distinction,” he said.

Drawing a comparison between Karnataka and Gujarat, he claimed that while he was campaigning in Gujarat, people there told him that education was very expensive. “Major universities and colleges in Gujarat are backed by private industrialists. In Karnataka, the government has not only subsidized education but also provides free education to girls. Karnataka is far ahead of Gujarat in terms of development. One has to spend at least Rs 15lakh for education and to get a small surgery done in Gujarat. Karnataka offers free education for the poor and girls till PG level, and people are completely covered under medical insurance,” he added.