Modi leading the country to dictatorship, says Mallikarjun Kharge
Mangaluru, Feb 17: AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said the Narendra Modi government should not be brought back to power at the Centre as he is leading the country to dictatorship.
The Prime Minister did not honour his promise of creating more jobs for the unemployed youth and depositing Rs 15 lakh to the bank accounts of all citizens, he said.
"Modi wants to become a dictator and control the entire governance including law enforcement agencies and the media," he alleged while speaking at the Congress workers' state-level convention on the outskirts of the city.
Launching the party's campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in the state, he said the Congress is confident of securing at least 20 seats in Karnataka. While the Congress fulfilled all the guarantees in its election manifesto in Karnataka, Modi went back on his words, Kharge said.
He further said Modi was always stressing on personal guarantees, while the Congress collectively refers to its promises as the party's guarantees. Unlike Modi, who promotes his personal image, the Congress gives thrust to the collective commitment of the party, he added.
ALSO READ: LS polls: Congress hopeful of winning in coastal Karnataka region, says D K Shivakumar
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also addressed the gathering of party workers, said the Congress is positioned to get a minimum of 20 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in the state.
Prime Minister Modi had not fulfilled any of the promises he made in the last 10 years, he said, and asked the people not to trust the BJP.
"The BJP manipulates emotions and exploits religious and caste divisions among the people. The people of the country had never witnessed the BJP's promised 'Acche Din' in the last decade, whereas the Congress does not make false promises," Siddaramaiah said.
The Congress has delivered on all the five guarantees it presented before the people in the last Assembly elections in just eight months, while the BJP implemented only 60 out of 600 promises they made, the Chief Minister said.
Both Nalin Kumar Kateel and Shobha Karandlaje, the Lok Sabha MPs from the coastal region, had failed to get Central funds released for the state, he said and urged the voters to elect Congress candidates in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.
Deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar, in his speech, said the Congress has a glorious tradition in Mangaluru where veteran leaders like Janardhan Poojary and Veerappa Moily strengthened the grassroot level work of the party.
Shivakumar, who is also KPCC president, asked workers to approach the voters with confidence as the Congress has implemented its promises in the state. Dharmasthala dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade himself had said the number of devotees to Dharmasthala has increased due to the Congress guarantee of free bus travel to women and are offering prayers in the name of the Chief Minister, he added.
Shivakumar said Janata Dal(S) leader H D Deve Gowda, who once vowed to leave the country if the BJP wins, is now joining hands with the same party to save his son.
Calling for unity in the Congress, Shivakumar said all party workers should come together to achieve a massive victory for the party in the coming elections.
AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Surjewala also spoke.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwar, Dakshina Kannada district-in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, Ashok Kumar Rai, MLA, B K Hariprasad, MLC, KPCC working president Salem Ahmed, state ministers K H Muniyappa, R V Deshpande, K J George, Laxmi Hebbalkar, former MLAs Ramanath Rai and Vinay Kumar Sorake and DCC president Harish Kumar MLC were present.
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Cockroach infestation at Hyderabad tiffin centre raises food safety concerns
Hyderabad, November 22 — A customer dining at a tiffin centre near Nexus Mall, KPHB, Hyderabad, was shocked to discover cockroaches in the breakfast served. The incident occurred at Madhuram Tiffins on Friday morning and quickly gained attention after the customer shared their experience on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The post included images and a video showing unsanitary conditions in the kitchen, with a plea to food safety authorities to take immediate action.
"During our breakfast at Madhuram Tiffins, we found cockroaches in the chutneys served," the customer wrote, tagging relevant food safety officials. The visuals highlighted unsanitary practices, sparking a wave of concern over food safety standards at the well-known establishment.
In response, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) assured that their food safety team had been notified and promised swift action to address the issue.
The incident triggered a mixed response from the public. One social media user expressed frustration over the lack of cleanliness, stating, “These hotel owners and workers don’t even think about hygiene anymore. They even treat customers rudely.” Another called for stricter measures, suggesting that establishments with poor hygiene should face immediate closure and have their licenses revoked. Meanwhile, a third user warned against dining out, remarking, “Food these days is more about taste than health.”
This incident comes in the wake of recent food safety inspections conducted by the Telangana Food Safety Department. Earlier, the department carried out surprise raids at several prominent tiffin centres in Hyderabad.
During an inspection at Padmavathi Tiffins in Ashoknagar, officials found a live cockroach in the storeroom, raw food items stored directly on the floor, and evidence of rat burrows. Staff members were also seen handling food without hair caps or aprons.
At Sri Sidhi Vinayaka Udupi Tiffins, also in Ashoknagar, inspectors noted the absence of insect-proof screens and an unhygienic kitchen environment. Similar concerns were raised at Balaji Darshan Tiffins, where stagnant water in drains and uncovered garbage bins were observed.
Violations extended beyond eateries to local hostels. My Home Luxury Girls Hostel in Ashoknagar was cited for inadequate insect-proofing and cockroach infestations in the kitchen.
