H D Kumaraswamy slams Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed for his 'Colombo' remark
Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday hit out at Congress MLA B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, whose name is allegedly linked to the drugs case, for his remark that JD(S) leaders had been to Colombo and said the latter has made statements of unrelated events which occurred in 2014.
Facing allegations over his presence at a casino in Colombo where Kannada film actress Sanjjanaa Galrani, who is now arrested in a drug case, was allegedly present, Khan sought to know what was wrong in going there.
He told a news channel on Saturday that not only he but also JD(S) MLAs and other senior party functionaries along with their leader H D Kumaraswamy had been to Colombo.
Taking serious note of the statement, Kumaraswamy said "It is true that JDS travelled to Colombo, Sri Lanka, with lawmakers, MPs, former legislators and key leaders to discuss the JDS party's confidential agenda and future political strategies.
However, it was not a clandestine 'Colombo trip'," Kumaraswamy tweeted.
Referring to Khan, who was earlier in the JDS before joining the Congress, the former chief minister said a politician who was in his party has made statements of unrelated events.
"In June 2014, I had openly told the media that I would be travelling to Colombo to discuss the party organisation in detail, and released to the media video footage of the debate with lawmakers there. There was no secret in it," he tweeted.
Underlining that the trip to Colombo was not expensive, Kumaraswamy said he had spoken to the media before going to and returning from the neighbouring country.
He even claimed that his trip to the capital of Sri Lanka was his first and the last.
The drugs case gained momentum with the Narcotics Control Bureau arresting three people in Bengaluru for allegedly supplying drugs to Kannada film stars and singers.
Soon after the arrest, the City police too started investigation. Besides the Central crime branch, the Enforcement Directorate has also started probing the financial aspects of the drugs scandal.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
'Another jumla': Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi over Employment Linked Incentive scheme
_vb_11.jpeg)
New Delhi (PTI): Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the government's 'Employment Linked Incentive' scheme, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said while he creates new slogans everyday, the youth are still waiting for real opportunities, and asked if it was "just another jumla".
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said that after the 2024 election, PM Modi announced the "Employment Linked Incentive" scheme with much fanfare, promising to provide employment to our youth.
"It's been nearly a year since announcing the scheme, the government hasn't even defined it, and has returned the Rs 10,000 crores allotted to it. This shows how serious the PM is about unemployment," he alleged without elaborating the claim.
There was no immediate response from the government on it.
Gandhi said jobs can't be created by focusing only on large corporates, promoting cronies over fair-play businesses, prioritising assembly over production, and disregarding India's indigenous skills.
"The way to create crores of jobs is through large-scale investment in MSMEs, fair markets where competition can thrive, support for local production networks and youth equipped with the right skills," he said.
"The PM won't agree with these ideas. But I must ask him directly: Prime Minister ji, you announced ELI with great showmanship - but where has this Rs 10,000 crore scheme disappeared? Have you abandoned our unemployed youth along with your promises?"
"While you create new slogans every day, our youth are still waiting for real opportunities. What is your concrete plan to generate the crores of jobs India desperately needs, or is this just another jumla?" he said.
Gandhi further asked when will the PM shift his focus from enriching Adani and his "billionaire friends" to ensuring that young people from marginalised communities have equal access to employment.
