CM Bommai dismisses Congress' poll 'guarantees' as 'bogus announcements'
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday dismissed Congress' poll 'guarantees' as "bogus announcements", and said their leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to the poll-bound state will not have any impact.
He said, the people of Karnataka will not give any value to the former AICC President's words, after his recent controversial statements in London, regarding the state of democracy in the country.
During Rahul Gandhi's visit to Belagavi on Monday, the Congress announced its fourth 'guarantee' "YuvaNidhi' -- Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years, 10 lakh jobs in five years and filling up of 2.5 lakh govt jobs within one year, in the event of the party coming to power in the State, where Assembly elections are due by May.
"Rahul Gandhi has come and gone several times (to Karnataka), he has done the Bharat Jodo Yatra also, but it has not made any effect. Monday's announcement was a bogus announcement, there is no impact," Bommai said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters, he said, "there is a lot of difference between Rahul Gandhi's last visit and Monday's. His speech in London in between the two visits, against the country and regarding democracy, is being condemned across the country, including Karnataka. So people of Karnataka will not give any value to his words".
Hitting out at the Congress, calling its poll 'guarantee' card and "bogus card", the CM said, they have made similar promises in other states, but haven't fulfilled them till today.
"It is their track record. Whether it is Rajasthan or Chattisgarh or other states, they have not fulfilled the promises made. In Chattisgarh they had promised to give Rs 1,000 to every house, they didn't give it during the last four years, but in the last year they are giving.
They cheat people this way," he said, adding that it is not a guarantee card, but only a "visiting card, and it doesn't have any value".
The Congress party earlier announced three poll guarantees' 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), and 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), in the event of the party coming to power.
Targeting Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Bommai said he has no moral right to speak on the issue of corruption.
"There are lots of charges against him, there is a complaint against him in Lokayukta, there are several charges against him including the Redo (denotification) case....Congress has collapsed everywhere across the country, here too it will collapse with him," he said.
Responding to a question, he further said, discussions are underway with legal experts to conduct a judicial inquiry into the "corruption cases" of Siddaramaiah's government, and a decision will be made in a few days. "Some of the 59 cases are entrusted to Lokayukta, rest will also be entrusted."
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.
Where is Priyanka Gandhi? Her voter lynched in Mangaluru, still no response
A voter from Wayanad, the very constituency that elected Priyanka Gandhi to the Lok Sabha with a record margin of over four lakh votes, has been brutally murdered in Mangaluru. Yet, there has been no statement, no visit, and no visible intervention from the newly elected Member of Parliament.
Ashraf, a mentally ill man from Wayanad, was reportedly lynched by a mob of Hindutva activists on the outskirts of Mangaluru. Eyewitness accounts suggest that he was chased and beaten mercilessly, despite some locals pleading with the attackers to stop. However, the police allegedly attempted to suppress the nature of the crime, initially dismissing it as a case of drunkenness or an accident. Bruises on Ashraf’s body were ignored, and for two days, the case was handled with silence and negligence.
It was only due to consistent media reporting and the voices of political and social leaders that the truth began to emerge. It is now widely believed that around 30 individuals were involved in the brutal assault on Ashraf. The attempt to hush up the murder has drawn serious questions about the functioning and intention of the police.
Adding to the controversy, Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar claimed that the attack happened because Ashraf allegedly shouted “Pakistan Zindabad.” This statement has further derailed the investigation, critics say. It has triggered outrage across Karnataka, with many asking how the Home Minister had access to information about such a slogan but did not know the basic fact that Ashraf was mentally unwell.
Even more disturbing is the silence of other senior leaders. The District In-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao's reference to Ashraf as someone from a “different community” has also sparked public anger. Citizens are asking how a Muslim man from Wayanad can be referred to as a non-Muslim. The statement has only added to the confusion and suspicion around the case.
Now, Ashraf’s family has taken his body back to Wayanad. And the questions remain unanswered: Will Priyanka Gandhi visit Ashraf’s home? Will she express solidarity with his grieving family? Will she demand that the Karnataka government take strict action against the killers?
The voters of Wayanad are watching. Will Priyanka Gandhi call Karnataka’s Home Minister and question him about his controversial statement? A statement that mirrored the claims made by the very people accused in the case? Since when did statements made by the accused become the basis of public messaging in a murder case?
Will the Wayanad MP hold the Congress government in Karnataka accountable for failing to act promptly? Will she ask why neither the Chief Minister nor the Deputy Chief Minister has spoken on the matter?
The Congress came to power in Karnataka promising justice, equality, and safety for all communities. Karnataka’s Muslim voters, especially, placed their faith in the Congress by turning away not just from the BJP but also from the JDS. What are they being given in return?
At a time when Priyanka Gandhi should have been standing with her constituents and in Parliament against the Waqf Amendment Bill, she was reportedly abroad during the passing of the Waqf Amendment Bill. Many now wonder if this absence is a convenient escape from politically sensitive issues.
If she is back, it is time for her to act. The family of Ashraf, a man from her own constituency, deserves justice. Every single accused in this lynching case—from those who carried out the violence to those who orchestrated it—must face the maximum punishment under the law.
If not, it will not just be Ashraf’s family, but the entire electorate of Wayanad that will be left questioning: why did Priyanka Gandhi contest from their constituency where the party ticket was to be given to a Muslim party worker?
