Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accusing the Congress government in the state of corruption and claiming that criminals rule it.
“Dear Narendra Modi, being the prime minister of the country, your words should carry high credibility,” Siddaramaiah said at a press conference, according to ANI. “I would, therefore, request you to substantiate your allegation that ‘corruption and misgovernance are rampant’ [in Karnataka] with facts.”
During a rally in the poll-bound state on Sunday, Modi had said: “While the world is talking about ease of doing business, and the BJP government is talking about ease of living, the Karnataka government is talking about ease of doing murder.”
The prime minister had said that several Congress leaders are facing allegations of corruption, and that there have been several reports of commission being demanded to complete projects.
Siddaramaiah also said that Modi does not have the “moral right” to talk about Lokpal (an ombudsman) as “he did not have a Lokayukta for nine years when he was the chief minister” of Gujarat. Modi is facilitating corruption, the Congress leader said, adding, “He is morally not right to be the prime minister of the country.”
Siddaramaiah also criticised Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and BJP National President Amit Shah. “The BJP president was involved in a murder case, and he only speaks lies,” he said. “Here also they are projecting a chief ministerial candidate who has been to jail.”
Citing the examples of Haryana and Gujarat, Siddaramaiah claimed there is no protection for minorities wherever the BJP is in power.
The Congress leader also praised his government. “When we came to power, our position was 11th in the investment list,” he said. “In the past two years, we moved to number one. These are statistics released by the central government.”
Siddaramaiah also said that the prime minister claims to have sanctioned funds for Karnataka after coming to power at the Centre, but “where do you think this money is coming from?” “It is the taxes collected in the states that is sent to the Centre,” he said. “It is our money that is coming back.”
“As per the 14th finance commission, in the past three years, we were supposed to get Rs 95,200 crore, whereas we got Rs 84,500 crore,” he said. “So they have to give 10,000 crore more.”
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