Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday came down heavily on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government in the poll-bound state and said that this government is a stolen government and BJP stole it three years ago by destroying democracy. Addressing a rally in Karnataka, former Congress chief attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he should tell what steps he has taken to stop corruption in Karnataka.
"This government of the BJP is a stolen govt. BJP stole it 3 years ago by destroying democracy. Why is PM Modi not speaking about the corruption done by this govt? He should tell what steps he has taken to stop corruption in Karnataka," Rahul Gandhi said as quoted by the news agency ANI.
During his address, Rahul Gandhi said that PM Modi should also talk about the leaders of his party and he should tell what BJP government will do. "PM Modi came here and said that Congress attacked him 91 times. He is not saying anything about Karnataka. He should tell what the BJP govt will do. Not only Modi but there are also other people in this world. He should speak about other leaders of his party, youth & women," Rahul Gandhi said as quoted by ANI.
Earlier on Monday, Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the Prime Minister over his charge that he was "abused 91 times" and said Narendra Modi should understand that the Karnataka election was not about him. Asking the Prime Minister to speak about the BJP government's work and future programmes for Karnataka, instead of talking about himself, the former AICC president took a dig at Modi's statement about verbal abuses hurled at him.
"You (Modi) come to campaign in Karnataka for elections, but don't speak about Karnataka. You speak about yourself. You have to say what you did in Karnataka for the past three years. You also have to speak in your speeches about what you will be doing in the next five years, what will do for youth, education, health and to fight corruption," Gandhi said.
Addressing a public meeting here in Tumakuru district, Gandhi said, "This election is not about you, it is about Karnataka's people and its future. You say Congress abused you 91 times, but you never speak about what you did for Karnataka. In your next speech, you speak about what you did and what you will do in the next five years." Modi on Saturday targeted the Congress over its party president M Mallikarjun Kharge's 'venomous snake' barb at him and said till now the party and its leaders had hurled various types of abuses at him 91 times.
Claiming that when he comes to Karnataka and gives speeches he speaks about his party leaders like Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar and about their work, Gandhi said, "We take the names of all our leaders. You (Modi) come here and don't even take the name of your Chief Minister (Basavaraj Bommai) and (B S) Yediyurappa (former CM). Your speeches are all about Narendra Modi."
"Try taking names of Bommai and Yediyurappa too one or two times, they will feel happy," he said. Stating that this election was about Karnataka's people, youth and mothers and sisters, Gandhi said, "This election is not about one person, not about Narendra Modi. Prime Minister has to understand this." AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal and state Congress leaders were present at the public meeting.