Modi government pushed India into debt, not Congress: Minister Santosh Lad
Mangaluru: Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi-led central government, accusing it of pushing India into massive debt during the last decade.
Addressing Congress workers at the Congress Bhavan in Mallikatte, Mangaluru, Lad said, “Till 2014, India’s total debt stood at ₹53 lakh crore. But in the ten years since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, the country’s debt has risen to ₹185 lakh crore. The Modi government is responsible for bankrupting the nation, not us.”
Criticising the BJP’s election campaign style, Lad alleged that the party never speaks about development or governance, instead focusing on Pakistan, Muslims, and Afghanistan to divert public attention.
He further said, “Rahul Gandhi has held more than a thousand press conferences so far. When leaders from other countries visit abroad, they always face the press. But Prime Minister Modi has not held even one press conference in a month during his entire tenure.”
Lad also accused the BJP government of using public money for electoral gains, alleging that funds meant for Bihar’s development were being deposited into women’s bank accounts ahead of the elections.
Speaking about Congress’s future, the minister stressed the need to promote young leaders who believe in the ideals of Basavanna, Buddha, Ambedkar, and the Congress philosophy. “We must identify and promote such youths. Those who can speak boldly from the stage should be brought to the forefront,” he said.
Highlighting labour welfare initiatives in Karnataka, Lad said around 40 lakh unorganised workers in sectors like private trade and transport have been brought under the Karnataka Motor Transport and Other Allied Workers’ Social Security and Welfare Act. He said the state government has also formed a Social Security and Welfare Board to implement social protection schemes for workers.
Congress leaders Suresh Ballal, Padmaraj Poojary, Sadashiva Ullal, T.M. Shaheed, M.A. Gafoor, Lavanya Ballal, Mamata Gatti, and Anil Tadkal were present at the event.
Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee president K. Harish Kumar welcomed the gathering, while former Mayor Shashidhar Hegde proposed the vote of thanks.
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Man dies by suicide after being 'duped of ₹1.5 crore' in stock market scam
Jaipur (PTI): A 42-year-old man allegedly died by suicide after jumping in front of a Sikar-Rewari passenger train in Jhunjhunu district on Saturday morning, officials said.
Police launched a probe into allegations in a three-page suicide note in which the deceased allegedly blamed several individuals for his death, accusing them of cheating his family out of around Rs 1.5 crore through stock market investment.
The deceased cited mounting debts and alleged harassment by creditors as reasons that drove him to take the extreme step.
Kotwali police head constable Mahendra Singh said the deceased, Vimal Kumar Sharma, was identified using a mobile phone recovered from the spot near the New Housing Board police line crossing.
"We contacted numbers stored in the phone, which helped establish his identity. A suicide note was also found in the deceased's pocket," he said, adding that Sharma was engaged in share market trading.
In the suicide note, Sharma alleged that despite lodging a complaint at the Kotwali police station, police conducted no proper investigation and closed the case file without inquiry.
He claimed to possess evidence such as call recordings, a pen drive and bank statements.
Meanwhile, family members reached the hospital and demanded the arrest of the accused persons named in the suicide note, refusing to accept the body until action is taken.
Police said an investigation is underway.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
