From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Kodagu/Virajpet, Jan 25: Criticising the BJP leaders for attacking the Congress government’s handling of drought situation in the State, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah challenged the BJP to show any instance of building a dam or helping in irrigation projects in any State and offered to stop speaking against BJP if it can do so.
Addressing the Congress workers in Virajpet of Kodagu district, he lashed out at BJP for shedding crocodile tears when all its 25 lok sabha members and its leaders failed to do anything to prevail upon the Narendra Modi regime to release funds for drought relief.
Lambasting the Kodagu-Mysuru BJP MP, Pratap Simha, he sarcastically asked: "Mr Simha, have you managed to get even a single rupee released from your own Modi government for drought relief works? Why are you criticising the Congress government?’’
Siddaramaiah asked BJP leaders to stop fooling the people with their drama and drought study tours when Modi government’s official study team had come and reviewed the situation in the State in October last year. Now, January 2024 is coming to an end and we have been repeatedly asking both Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to release funds, which are rightfully ours.
"If there is any single State where BJP has built a dam or helped in executing irrigation projects, I will stop speaking against BJP. What has BJP done for agriculture and farmers,’’ he asked.
The chief minister assailed the BJP for denigrating the Congress party for not doing anything for the country. "It was the Congress governments which built dams and irrigation projects all over the country while BJP has done nothing. Even though the RSS was established in 1955, it did not participate in the freedom struggle. It is the Congress party which fought for freeing the country from British rule, suffered and sacrificed. What is BJP’s or Sangh Parivar’s contribution to the freedom struggle?" he asked.
Lashing out at Uttara Kannada BJP MP Ananth Kumar Hegde for declaring that the BJP came to power to change the Constitution, which has not been contradicted by any of the BJP leaders. It is clear that BJP is and has been against the Constitution, he said.
Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Siddaramaiah asked:"When will his promised Acche Din dawn? Petrol, diesel and LPG prices have been rising. Modi had promised to create 2 jobs every year. Where are the 20 crore jobs during the last 10 years?’’ he asked.
The chief minister said the people of Kodagu have rejected BJP and elected Congress candidates in its two assembly seats. People know that the Congress government delivered on its promises from 2013 to 2018 and has implemented all the five pre-poll Congress guarantees, while Modi’s grand promises have been hollow.
The chief minister recalled that he had to face eggs hurled at him when he visited the district as Opposition Leader. "I am completely overwhelmed by the love and affection showered on me now,’’ he said assuring that the government will protect their interests and work for their welfare.
Siddaramaiah enjoyed the food prepared in Kodagu style with his legal advisor Ponnanna handling the role of serving the food to the chief minister.
Kodagu district in-charge minister Boseraju, home minister G Parameshwara, social welfare minister H C Mahadevappa, urban development minister Byarati Suresh, sericulture minister K Venkatesh and others were present.