Pic: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Sep 11: Rajya Sabha opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge said, “People should start raising their voice against the government over the selling of the country’s assets.”

Addressing media here on Saturday September 11, Kharge said, “The BJP questions every now and then on what Congress did in the last 70 years. Let us assume that we did nothing. From where the IIT, numerous medical and engineering colleges and 366 public sectors come from? In 1951, there were only five public sectors which increased up to 366 which are now being sold one after another by the BJP government.

“It is unfortunate that the government is selling the assets. The public should come forward to raise their voices against the government over the selling of these assets. The Congress brought Land Reforms Act which benefited 3.5 lac tenants. The government repeatedly asks what Congress did in 70 years. In those 70 years, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and H D Deve Gowda were also the Prime Ministers. Congress have always worked for the poor and stood for the deprived.

“The government is also busy changing names of the previous governments’ work. We have done the work, hence the places are named after our leaders. So work and earn the name, ‘kaam karne se naam bantha hain’. Earlier, there were 16 lac jobs in railway sector which is now down to 12 lac, while in the telecom sector there were 4 lac jobs which has come down drastically. Why the government has to privatise sectors which are under profit. The sectors which are under severe loss can be scrapped.

“People are facing a lot of trouble due to privatisation. The petrol, diesel and cooking gas price are skyrocketing and still the BJP and Modi is good. We do not need to learn lessons from people who are selling the county’s hard-earned the assets. Please start working for people,” he said.

When asked about Kalaburagi city corporation elections, Kharge said, “BJP secured 23 seats, Congress 27, JD(S) 4 and one independent candidate bagged a seat. So all secular parties are against the BJP with 32 seats. I have spoken to JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda and waiting for his response.”

MLA U T Khader, district Congress president Harish Kumar, former MLAs Ramanath Rai and Mohiuddin Bava and others were present.