Can't fathom Modi mania despite ''bad state'' of the economy: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, June 13: Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah Thursday said he was unable to understand the Modi mania, despite the "bad state" of the economy under the previous BJP regime led by him.
The former Chief Minister alleged that the BJP won the Lok Sabha election raising emotive issues, rather than delivering on development.
People of the country, including the media, have favoured Narendra Modi's five year government, despite low GDP growth, increase in unemployment and dwindling value of the Rupee, Siddaramaiah said.
"...they have destroyed the country's economy...despite all this Modi, Modi, Modi- I don't know why?"
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he said, "As the Prime Minister for five years, what did he do for economic development? Demonetization- what was it's result? You (media) should ask BJP people."
Stating that the economy can be brought back on track, the CLP leader said the BJP would not be able to do it.
The Congress, which is part of the ruling coalition in Karnataka, was routed in the recent Lok Sabha polls, winning only one out of the 21 seats it had contested.
It was the party's worst ever performance in the state, once its bastion.
Congress' alliance partner JD(S) too won one out of the seven seats it contested.
The BJP, in its best ever performance, had won 25 out of the 27 seats it contested.
An independent candidate supported by the BJP had won in Mandya.
Siddaramaiah also raised questions on the Indian Air Force air strikes at Balakot in response to the Pulwama terror attack.
"How many terrorists were killed we still don't know.
Neither the Defence Department nor the Prime Minister's Office or External Affairs Ministry has come out on this. They have misled the people with emotional issues."
He also hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said everyone was aware what had happened when he was the Home Minister of Gujarat, but did not elaborate.
Siddaramaiah also asserted that Rahul Gandhi would and should continue as the Congress president.
"In today's situation there is no one else who can take up the job, there is no alternate leadership," he said.
The Congress Legislature party in Karnataka had recently passed a resolution, urging Gandhi to continue in the post.
Gandhi had offered to quit as party chief at the May 25 Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, convened to analyse the party's poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls, in which it won just 52 seats.
The CWC had unanimously rejected his offer to quit, but Gandhi was apparently firm on his stand.
Following Gandhi's insistence on quitting, there is speculation on the need to put in place an interim arrangement in the Congress for decision making, especially in the run-up to the Assembly elections.
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Bus helper held for stealing USD 1,600 from Iranian woman's purse in Delhi; money recovered
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a bus helper and recovered USD 1,600 that was allegedly stolen from the purse of an Iranian woman who had forgotten it on a private bus at ISBT Kashmere Gate, an official said on Sunday.
The incident came to light on December 15, when a complaint was lodged at the ISBT Kashmere Gate police post by Dr Ali Akbar Shah, a professor at Delhi University and a resident of Mukherjee Nagar, the police said.
He informed police that his guest, Fareshteh Sayanjali, an Iranian national, had arrived in India on December 13 and was staying at his residence, they said.
The woman had travelled to Uttarakhand's Rishikesh and was returning to Delhi on December 15 in a bus. While de-boarding at ISBT Kashmere Gate around 1.45 pm, she inadvertently left her purse on the bus seat, the police officer said.
After some time, she received a phone call from the bus operator informing her that the purse had been found in the vehicle. However, when the purse was handed back to her, she discovered that USD 1,600 in cash kept inside was missing," the officer added.
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Based on Dr Shah's statement, an FIR was registered at Kashmere Gate police station on December 16, and an investigation was taken up, police said.
During the investigation, the team questioned the driver and conductor of the bus in which the woman had travelled, police said.
During questioning, the conductor told police that Monish, the bus helper, found the purse lying abandoned on a seat and handed it over to him, police said.
Monish initially attempted to mislead the investigators, but later confessed to stealing the US dollars from the purse, police said
Following his disclosure, Monish was arrested on December 17 and recovered the entire stolen amount, police said.
The accused, Monish, 26, is a resident of Jahangirpuri in north Delhi.
He has studied up to Class 10 and has been working as a helper with the private bus service for the past year, they said.
