Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)

Mangaluru, Apr 30: Senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojary on Saturday April 30 lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the AgustaWesland scam and said that he does not have 'courage' to fight Congress president face to face. He also lambasted rural development minister H K Patil for his statement on the drought situation in the state and said that he was 'not fit to be a minister'.

Addressing a press meet here, Poojary said, "Narendra Modi is targetting Sonia Gandhi standing behind Subramanian Swamy. Modi does not have the courage to accuse directly and fight face-to-face. When AgustaWestland scam was initially brought to light, the then PM Manmohan Singh had cancelled the deal. If UPA had wanted to make money, the deal would not have been cancelled.

"Soon after cancelling the deal, CBI probe was ordered into it. The current accusations have been levelled just for political gains. This is just to dent the image of Congress ahead of elections in few of the states," he said.

Lashing out at BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, he said, "What moral right does Subramanian Swamy have to question the Congress and the UPA government, when he himself was called a CIA agent by the media? In the 70s he had gone underground and then he was used by the Jan Sangh to target Indira Gandhi. He is a traitor of the Nehru family. As your (Swamy's) party's government has come to power you make these allegations believing that you may become a minister some day."

Targetting BJP national president Amit Shah, he said, "Amit Shah had dared Sonia Gandhi to reveal the truth about the AgustaWestland scam. Is it not the BJP government headed by Narendra Modi that is in power? Is Sonia an investigation officer? Let your PM to investigate and get the details. You (Amit Shah) must realize that if you accuse someone it backfires on you. You were the one along with PM Modi who was responsible for Gujarat riots. The then PM Vajpayee had pointed out the administrative failure but you were protected by L K Advani. But now you have destroyed Advani. What moral right do you have to question the Congress party and the national president of the party?"

Moving on to state issues, he lambasted rural development and Panchayat Raj minister H K Patil over his statement that the state was facing only a severe summer and not drought, Poojary said, "It is a very sad as well as silly statement. Being a minister for rural development he should be ashamed of his statement. People are searching for water even in mud. They are walking many a mile everyday for drinking water and even the chief minister is visiting every district, but you (Patil) are being blind to the situation. The whole nation is facing drought and you are making such irresponsible statements denting the image of the party and the government. You can still seek forgiveness of the people for your statement. If you cannot work as a minister it is better to resign. You are not even fit to be a minister."

To a question on instructions from KPCC not to speak out publicly, Poojary slammed KPCC president Parameshwar and said, "Normally action is taken when you work against the party and its policies. But if corruption is the party's policy, then definitely I will speak against it. I speak openly only to strengthen the party. Please read the constitution of the party before giving instructions."

To another question, he said he was not interested in becoming KPCC president.

On whether he would support the district bandh against Yettinahole project on May 15, he said, "I do not support bandh as it is against the Constitution and it will affect the economy. If the activists want to convince the people against the project, let them go to every household and do so. It is the people who have to be sensitized."

"Even when the project was about diverting the Netravati river, I had protested. This is my stand. Emphasis needs to be given on improving the water table of the district and implement an alternative project for the people of Chikkaballapur," he said.

Youth Congress leader Arun Coelho, Kallige Taranath Shetty, T K Sudheer and others were present.