Pics: Abhijith Kolpe
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (DC)
Mangaluru, Jul 17: Former minister and senior Congress leader B Ramanath Rai on Tuesday, July 17, blamed the BJP and the present NDA government in the centre of playing gimmicks when elections are near.
Addressing a press meet at Congress office on July 17, Rai said, "Four years after NDA government came to power, the BJP is holding programmes highlighting their work and have put up banners and flexes. They have highlighted the Jan Dhan programme. But the poor have not benefitted from the scheme. Only the banks received money, not the poor. The petrol prices have shot up and it is going up day by day. When we compare the prices during UPA government and the present NDA government, now it is a burden on common people,”
“The price of gas cylinders during UPA governance was only Rs 400 but now it has gone to Rs 800. They also promised to bring back black money from Swiss banks, but they failed miserably. Indian money in Swiss banks has doubled during Modi’s regime. He had promised to deposit Rs 15 lacs to each individual's account which did not happen. Now since the percentage has doubled, he has to deposit Rs 30 lacs.” he added.
“During UPA government, the farmer loans were waived off. But during Modi's rule, only the businessmen are getting benefit. The BJP is misleading the people by talking about religion. It is Bharathiya Joot party. They stopped us from implementing GST. This tax is only 4 to 8% in other countries but in India it is 18% to 28%,” he said.
“When Nirbhaya incident happened, they projected as if Congress people were involved. During their rule, rape cases are reported on daily basis. Yesterday, in Uttar Pradesh a woman was raped and burnt alive in Homakunda. Dalits are beaten up. Why PM is silent on these issues?” he questioned.
“The PM calls the Congress as 'bail gadi'. But he should know that the entire Karnataka BJP leaders including the state president is 'bail gadi',” he said.
He also lashed out at the BJP for criticizing the state government over free rice scheme.
“Siddaramaiah's welfare programmes have reached to the people, whereas schemes of the NDA government have not. Only when the elections are fast approaching, they play gimmicks with an eye on votes,” he said.
He also clarified that he was not an aspirant for Lok Sabha ticket. "I am a loyal party worker and I will follow the orders of the high command. My intention is to strengthen the secular forces in the society,” he added.
Commenting on the ongoing controversy over PM's statement that Congress was a party for Muslim men, he said, "It is a part of false propaganda. Congress is a party of all religions. Our party is secular," he said.
Former MLA J R Lobo, former minister Abhay Chandra Jain, Harish Kumar, Ibrahim Kodijal and other Congress leaders were present.