CM Siddaramaiah asks PM to speak on alleged corruption in COVID-19 management during BJP rule
Mysuru (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on the alleged corruption in COVID-19 management when the BJP was in power in the state.
He charged the Prime Minister with lying when asked about his allegation that the Congress government in Karnataka had raised Rs 700 crore from liquor vendors to fund the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Siddaramaiah sought to know what the Prime Minister had to say about the alleged irregularities in the COVID-19 management.
A Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kit that costs Rs 330 per piece was purchased for over Rs 2,100 per piece by the then BJP government in the State, the Chief Minister alleged.
"All the scams took place during the BJP government. Our government did not do any corruption and will not indulge in such acts. The Prime Minister is lying," Siddaramaiah said.
"Let him prove it (the allegation), I will retire from politics (if it's proven). Will he step down from the PM post if he fails to prove it? There should be some limit to lying," he said.
On the Enforcement Directorate's probe into the MUDA site allotment case in which he, his wife Parvathi B M and his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy are among the accused, Siddaramaiah said let the ED question whoever it wants to.
"I will not comment on the ED probe but all that I can say is it is investigating a false case," the Chief Minister said.
To a question on re-inducting Ballari Rural Congress MLA B Nagendra into the cabinet, Siddaramaiah said the legislator had spoken to him in this regard on Tuesday.
The Chief Minister said he had told Nagendra that he would consider it once the byelections to three Assembly segments in Karnataka are over.
Nagendra, who was the Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Youth Empowerment and Sports Minister, resigned from the Cabinet in June this year over the alleged scam in the state-run Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd.
The Chief Minister said there is no proposal before the government to lift the night ban on vehicular traffic in Bandipur tiger reserve in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts.
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.
Modi feels copy of Constitution I carry is blank as he has never read it: Rahul Gandhi
Nandurbar (Maharashtra) (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi feels the "red book" of the Constitution which Gandhi carries is blank as he has never read it.
Addressing a rally in Maharashtra's Nandurbar, Gandhi said the Constitution contains the soul of India and the principles envisaged by national icons like Birsa Munda, Dr B R Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi.
"The BJP has objections to the red colour of the book (which Gandhi has been displaying in rallies). But for us, irrespective of the colour, we are committed to preserve it (Constitution) and ready to give up our lives too. Modi ji feels the Constitution (book) is blank because he has never read it," he said.
Congress wants adivasis, Dalits and backward classes to get representation in decision-making, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said.
Notably, BJP leaders in their campaign for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls, have sought to link the "red book" displayed by Gandhi to "urban Naxalism".
Gandhi alleged that PM Modi and the BJP were insulting the national icons by making such comments.
The BJP and RSS insult tribals by referring them as "vanvasi" instead of adivasi, he charged.
"Adivasis are the first owners of the country and have the first right on jal (water), jungle (forest) and zameen (land). But the BJP wants adivasis to remain in the jungle without any rights. Birsa Munda fought for this and laid down his life,'' Gandhi said.
Highlighting the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) manifesto, Gandhi said women, farmers and youth will be protected with provisions like Rs 3,000 monthly assistance and free bus travel, farm loan waiver up to Rs 3 lakh and Rs 4,000 per month assistance for unemployed youth.
He reiterated the demand for a caste census, saying it will help to ascertain the number of adivasis, Dalits and backward classes in Maharashtra and how much is their share in resources.
At present, out of the eight per cent tribal population, their share in decision-making is only one per cent, Gandhi claimed.
He also alleged that five lakh jobs from Maharashtra have been snatched as various big ticket projects have been shifted to other states.
"Our government will not allow this. Projects meant for Maharashtra will remain here while those meant for Gujarat will stay there,'' he said.
