Follow saints you quote: Rahul to PM
KARNATAKA YATRA Refers to Lingayat sect founder’s principles to attack BJP, questions PM how the Centre let Nirav Modi flee India Remember (13th century philosopher) Basavanna’s words? Did Modi fulfil his promises (on employment and bringing back black money)? What is the point in taking name?
RAHUL GANDHI, Congress president
ATHANI(BELAGAVI): Kicking off the second leg of his Karnataka Janashirvada Yatra, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to follow 13th century philosopher Basavanna and not just pay lip service to him.
Modi had invoked the revered Lingayat saint on Februrary 7 to claim that he, Basavanna, was the founder of democracy in India about 800 years ago and not, as is believed, Jawahar Lal Nehru, the country’s first prime minister. Modi had dedicated a large part of his speech to Basavanna to criticise the Congress.
Gandhi quoted Basavanna’s dictum to say the Congress government in Karnataka has delivered on the promises it had made to the people. “Modi, too, had made promises about employment and bringing back black money. Now, remember Basavanna’s words? Did Modi fulfil any of his promises? So what is the meaning behind taking his name?” questioned Gandhi in the state’s Lingayat-dominated Mumbai-karnataka region.
Basavanna, who is credited with having founded the sect, is a revered saint here. Gandhi referred to Basavanna’s five principles of staying away from stealing, lying, spreading hatred, using violence and praising oneself to hit out at Modi.
He said Dalits, adivasis and minority communities were being attacked every day in BJPruled states such as Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
“Basavanna said don’t praise yourself. Whatever is done by his party or the government, the credit goes to Modi. The army takes action but Modi takes the credit. Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj do no work, only Modi does,” Gandhi said.
Gandhi said the PM accuses Karnataka government of being corrupt but fails to talk about former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who was taken into custody for illegal denotification of land. “He (Modi) speaks a lot but doesn’t talk about the Rafale deal. Demonetisation destroyed many businesses but the business of Jay Shah (son of BJP chief Amit Shah) earns profit and Modi doesn’t speak up.”
He also accused the PM of lying when he promised to bring back black money and deposit it in everybody’s accounts and provide 20 million jobs a year.
Gandhi also raised the issue of billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi fleeing the country after acquiring bank loans illegally. “Nirav Modi runs away with ~11,500 crore but Modi says we will investigate. How did you let this happen? Basavanna said don’t steal and you let this happen under your watch,” Gandhi said.
“If you want false promises go to Modi’s rally. But if you want kaam ki baat, not mann ki baat, come to us. Support the party of brotherhood and love,” he said, canvassing votes for the party in the upcoming elections, scheduled to be held in May.
Union minister DV Sadananda Gowda said the Congress should not lay claim to Basavanna’s legacy. “They have acted in a manner completely opposed to the teachings of Basavanna, so they have no locus standi to appropriate him now.”