From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Aland/Kalaburgi: Feb 7: Former chief minister from Congress, Siddaramaiah launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi citing his unfulfilled promise of doubling income of farmers and said there was no reply when he asked the question: Modiji kyon jhoot bol diya aap?

Addressing a function in Aland taluk of Kalaburgi district to felicitate senior Congress leader B R Patil on Tuesday, February 7, Siddaramaiah said the farmers are hit by price rise instead of doubled income and the price of a 50 kg DAP fertiliser have increased from Rs 450 to Rs 1,450.

The Congress leader spoke about the plight of toor dal farmers in the region who were hit by pest attack and suffered heavy losses. “When I raised the issue in the assembly and asked the agriculture minister why he did not visit and meet the affected farmers, he pleaded his inability to visit due to ill-health. If somebody is sick and can’t perform his duty, should he not resign and stay at home,’’ he said and attacked the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government for not paying even a rupee as compensation to the toor dal farmers so far.

The former chief minister took potshots at Modi for his “boasting”- “Naa khavoonga, na khaane doonga,’’ and asked why the prime minister did nothing on the complaint from State Contractors Association president Kempanna about 40% commission demands in government contracts sent one and half years ago. “This is precisely the reason why I had termed the BJP government as Ali Baba and 40 thieves,’’ he said.

Siddaramaiah said BJP has been in power in the State during the last three and half years. BJP has never come to power in the State on its own and had come to power twice due to its nefarious Operation Kamala by spending crores of rupees ill-gotten wealth. “I have never heard of this Operation Kamala in my 45 years of political life. This Operation Kamala was started by Yediyurappa and Reddy brothers. Now BJP has spread it to other states as well,’’ he said.

In the last assembly elections, Siddaramaiah said: ``BJP was able to win barely 104 seats while Congress had won 80 seats. Congress had won 2% more popular votes than BJP. Yediyurappa was sworn in in 2018 even though the party did not have majority and had to resign within 3 days for being unable to prove his majority in the house. With a view to keep the communal BJP out of power, we supported JD(S) though it had won just 38 seats. But he was not available to meet ministers and legislators and stayed in West End Hotel for 14 months and lost power. One who cannot ride a horse in neither a hero nor a courageous person (veeranoo alla, shooranoo alla) applies to Kumaraswamy.’’

Siddaramaiah praised B R Patil and described him as the most honest and upright politician, who was defeated from Aland in the last election. “Both of us joined politics together. But he has never became even a minister while I became that and even chief minister. It is unfortunate that a person like B R Patil was defeated,’’ he said urging the people to set right the injustice in the coming assembly elections.

'Where are Acche Din?'

The prices of petrol, diesel, LPG cylinders, fertilisers, cement, iron, milk, curds, medicines and other essential commodities have hit the roof. “Should we call this Acche Din, Modiji,’’ he asked.

Siddaramaiah said the Congress government was distributing 7 kgs of free rice, which has been reduced by the Bommai government to 5 kg. “What is their problem if poor people are given free rice? After we return to power, we will increase it to 10 kgs per month. Those who reduced the free rice to 5 kg, must be ousted from power,’’ he said.

The BJP government has shut down Indira Canteens. They shut it down because they are not satisfied with what they grab. Will they allow the poor to eat something, he said and challenged the chief minister for a public debate on his government’s performance, to which Bommai has no courage to respond, he added.