PM attacks K’taka govt over corruption

DAVANAGERE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called the Siddaramaiah-led state government a “seedha rupaiya sarkar”, saying nothing moved in the state without paying commission.

The Prime Minister was addressing a farmers’ convention to mark the 75th birth anniversary of former chief minister and state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa, who has been named the party’s chief ministerial candidate in the upcoming state polls, scheduled to be held in May.

“This government might be called the Siddaramaiah government, but in reality it is a seedha rupaiya (cash upfront) sarkar where everything is done with seedha rupaiya,” Modi said.

Modi said the state government was only interested in keeping its leaders in New Delhi happy and giving crumbs to those who were unhappy.

“No sitting minister has been raided before. Bundles of notes and diaries are found. What is this if not seedha rupaiya sarkar? This government should not be allowed to continue for a single minute,” he added.

Modi also attacked the government for not using central funds and said all the money released by the Centre was making its way to Congress party functionaries. “Every person is angry with it (the state government). This is probably the most anger any government has faced,” Modi said.

On the occasion, the BJP also launched a new programme called the ‘Mushti Dhanya Abhiyana’, under which a fistful of rice will be collected from farmers and a feast will be held at the taluk level for their families.

As the PM launched a blistering attack on Siddaramaiah and the Karnataka government over corruption, Randeep Singh Surjewala, communications chief of the Congress, hit back at the BJP over the PNB fraud.

“Who is responsible for this public loot of money? We want to ask the PM on behalf of the country to break his maun vrat, to break his silence and speak out, answer questions of the people of the country,” he told at a press conference in Bengaluru.

State law minister TB Jayachandra also criticised PM’s choice of words.

“This is a baseless, clueless allegation,” he said.

...in reality it is a seedha rupaiya (cash upfront) sarkar where everything is done with seedha rupaiya. NARENDRA MODI, prime minister