Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, May 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday May 1 accused the Congress government in Karnataka of promoting 'ease of doing murders' and said that the people of Karnataka have already decided to 'punish' the Congress and send it home.

Addressing a huge gathering at MGM grounds here as part of his election campaign, PM Modi began his speech by greeting the people in Kannada and paying obeisance to Sri Krishna, Kanakadasa, Parashuram, Sri Madhwacharya and the Ashta Maths.

"Your enthusiasm and spirit is a proof that the people of Karnataka have decided to punish the Congress this time," he told the crowd.

Though there was a translator initially to convert his speech into Kannada, the PM stopped him. He then told the crowd, "The love and affection you have showered on me is so much that language cannot be a barrier between us. I bow my head to you. You are standing here, waiting in this heat. I will pay you back in the form of development of your state. 

"I have a special bond with Udupi. This is land of Sri Krishna and Dwarka in Gujarat is the land of Sri Krishna, through Dwarka I too have a special bond with Udupi. The temples, Maths and gurus of Udupi have inspired us to protect our environment. We can tell the world with pride that protection of the environment is a part of our tradition.

Attacking the Congress and terming it as a government that has given birth to 'ease of doing murders', and accusing it of playing politics of crime. "I want to ask the Congress government here, and its leaders, is there any scope for violence in democracy? Is there a scope for murders? In this election people who are for democracy will ask the Congress for accountability - so many murders have been committed in the state. The only crime by those victims was that they questioned your (Congress') ideology, they questioned your power and fought against your power and had a difference of opinion. Should Congress not be driven out for these murders?

"In the entire world, India is becoming known for ease of doing murders. We heard of so many stories of Karnataka's richness, its harmony and development, but the Congress government has destroyed this heritage. While the centre is making policies for ease of doing business, the Congress government here is not at all interested in it. It is engaging in politial murders. Today I want to openly accused the Congress government in Karnataka that it has given rise to and is promoting ease of doing murders. It is engaged in politics of crime. If do not end this now, the youths of Karnataka will not prosper. The state's future will be bleak if Congress continues to be in power," he said.

He lauded Udupi and Dakshina Kannada region for its contribution to the banking sector and said, "Udupi and Dakshina Kannada region is a land of temples, but along with that, it is also the land of banking. Banking sector got a new direction and was strengthened from here. Your land gave us Subba Rao Pai, T M A Pai, and many other luminaries. Udupi gave us banking, and our government brought banking to each household. For decades, crores of people were outside the banking sphere. We bridged the gap between the poor and the banks through Jan Dhan Yojana, where the poor could maintain bank accounts with zero balance. Today see the richness of the poor - they have deposited Rs 80,000 crore through Jan Dhan Yojana. If this had been done years ago, they would have come out of their poverty and taken the country to greater heights by now. But a handful of people who were in power did not want it to happen. They did not want their welfare."

Accusing the previous UPA government of 'looting' the banks, he said, "The money in the banks should be able to help the youths of the country. But earlier governments allowed their own people to loot the banks. When a youth wanted to stand on his feet or start a business, the doors of the banks would close and lock him out. He was asked to give some guarantee against a loan. But we bridged this gap and through Prime Minister Mudra Yojana, we have given loans worth Rs 12,000 crore to youths, each of them getting Rs 4 lac in hand. In Karnataka alone, we have disbursed loans to the tune of Rs 2.5 crore. Each of them is now generating employment for others and doing wonderful things."

Attacking the Congress further, he said, "Congress has become identified with intolerance, violence, and failed law and order. Lokayukta is attacked in broad daylight, senior police officers write to the state government. What can be worse than this? Girls and women in Karnataka are harassed and assaulted. Many incidents may not appear in news, but the social media is full of them. In order to protect the girls of our country, our government has made the important decision of giving death penalty to the rapists of children. When we take a decision, we ensure that it is executed too."

"There is mafia everywhere under Congress rule. In Udupi you must be familiar with sand mafia. The high court had to take the Congress government to task over sand mafia. If a poor person wants to construct a house, he is forced to get the sand in black. The Congress government is supporting the sand mafia. If they (Congress) cannot even spare your sand, will they not loot you out of your other resources too? I urge you to drive out a governmen that protects the mafia, if not, Karnataka's situation will only worse. This is your chance to save Karnataka.

"Udupi is well-known for its standard of education. Year after year youngsters from Udupi get ranks in 10th and 12th. But once they finish education they are forced to go to Bengaluru or other parts for jobs. Why couldn't employment be generated in Udupi surroundings? There is such vast coastline that can generate jobs, but the Congress government has never thought of such transformative measures. It is Congress' habit to procrastinate and hinder development. Our government has initiated the coastal Sagar Mala project to give employment to lacs of youths."

He also made a special mention of Gururaj Poojary of Kundapur who won the first medal for India in the recent Commonwealth Games.

Modi also hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for allegedly not showing respect to JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda. "Whenever Deve Gowda comes to meet me in Delhi, I go to his car and welcome him, and when he leaves, I walk to his car. We may have different political views but Deve Gowda is a senior politician of our country and I can never show him any disrespect. However, but I heard that the Congress chief some days back was talking in an shameful way to Deve Gowda. How can you do that? What kind of arrogance is it? If he is so arrogant now, imagine what will happen in future. Such arrogant people are a danger to democracy.

Mahatma Gandhi wanted an end to the Congress. Almost every state in India has taken this opportunity and ended the Congress, now it it the turn of Karnataka. On May 12, press the lotus button and end Congress rule in Karnataka. We will form government under Yeddyurappa as CM," he said.

He ended his speech in Kannada.

Udupi-Chikkamaguluru MP Shobha Karandlaje, Jayaprakadh Hegde, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and others were present. BJP state president Yeddyurappa, who is also the CM candidate for BJP, was conspicously absent.