Eight hoardings put up by Narendra Modi fans ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, appealing to the public to join the fight in bringing back black money stashed abroad, have raised a debate in Hassan as another general election is around the corner.
Congress workers have urged leaders of the BJP and the Narendra Modi Fans’ Association to either remove the hoardings immediately or ensure citizens get ₹3 lakh each as promised in the hoardings.
Of the eight hoardings put up by the association in Hassan district in 2014, the first one on M.G. Road was unveiled by BJP’s State organising secretary Santhosh. The other boards in taluk centres were unveiled by other BJP leaders, including former Minister C.T. Ravi.
Markuli Gopale Gowda, president of Hassan district unit of Congress’s Seva Dal, Mubashir Ahmed, member of Seva Dal, and Vinod Kumar of Manava Bandhutva Vedike, on Saturday said the hoardings were misleading and carried false information with an intention to taint the image of top Congress leaders.
“Ahead of the 2014 elections, Mr. Modi said every citizen would get ₹15 lakh if black money was brought back to India. Similarly, his fans put up boards stating that bringing black money would strengthen India as each individual would get ₹3 lakh. So far, no individual in the country has got any amount,” Mr. Gowda said.
When The Hindu contacted B.K. Manjunath, BJP leader and general secretary of Hassan district unit of the association, he wanted to know what was wrong with the hoardings. “We had put up the boards appealing to the public to join the fight in bringing back black money. Mr. Modi had also assured ₹15 lakh for each individual,” he said. He said the association would react to Congress leaders in detail later.