Rahul asks Modi to ‘follow Basavanna, not just quote him’
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 that 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 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.
“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.
“Modi speaks a lot but doesn’t talk about Rafale deal. Demonetisation destroyed many businesses but the business of Jay Shah (son of BJP chief Amit Shah) earns a profit and Modi doesn’t speak up,” Gandhi said.
He also accused the PM of lying when he promised to bring back black money and deposit it in everybody’s accounts and providing 20 million jobs a year.
“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.
Union minister DV Sadananda Gowda said the Congress party should not lay claim to Basavanna’s legacy.
ATHANI(BELAGAVI):