Karnataka polls: Chant Bajrang Bali when you go out to vote, says PM Modi

Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday sharpened his attack on the Congress for proposing a ban on Bajrang Dal and asked voters to chant 'Jai Bajrang Bali' and press the button for the lotus symbol at polling booths on May 10 when Karnataka goes to the poll.

“You must punish those who hurl abuses. Karnataka will not leave abuses just like that. Will you punish them? Raise the slogan of Jai Bajarang Bali when you go out to vote,” Modi in a series of rallies.

Massive roadshows & public meetings in poll-bound Karnataka

Giving a major boost to the BJP's poll campaign, Modi held massive roadshows and public meetings on Wednesday.

In Hattikeri in Ankola of Uttara Kannada district, he said, “We have a vision for the development of the state. The Congress has lost the trust of people.”

Modi said, “The Congress top leader (Rajiv Gandhi), who was the PM, had said for every Re1 released, only 15 paisa reaches the villages. No one disputed and took back the statement then. Where did the 85 paisa go? Which is the hand that took away the 85 paisa?”

“The Congress is ready to eat 85 paisa in every project of Karnataka. For the BJP, the nation comes first and for the Congress, corruption comes first. During the Congress rule, one family ruled India and it only ensured the growth of its family. It was involved in the biggest scandal of fake beneficiaries scam,” Modi said.

“The names of crores and crores of people were created on paper. They were not even born. The number of total beneficiaries is bigger than the population of Karnataka. About 4.20 crore fake names were given for ration, four crore fake names were created on paper for gas subsidy; one crore fake names were used to grab the benefits under women welfare schemes; and there were 30 lakh fake names for student scholarships,” the PM alleged.

Modi raise 'Fake names' matter

“About 10 crore fake names were included in the government. Whichever government came, the system was intact years after years. I have ended the corrupt system and saved Rs3.75 lakh crore of poor man's money,” Modi said.

At Mulki in Dakshina Kannada,  Modi called the Congress an “enemy of peace and development” and accused the party of insulting and abusing India's defence forces.

He said the Congress's only identity was “appeasement politics”. “Will you (people) allow such a party to come to power, will you allow Karnataka to get ruined?” he asked even as the crowd chanted ‘No’.

Alleging that the Congress tried to save those arrested for conspiring to spread terror, Modi claimed it not only withdrew cases against such anti-social elements, but also released them.

The “reverse-gear” Congress also takes electoral help from anti-national forces, Modi alleged.

“The whole world appreciates and respects India's democracy and development but the Congress is going across the world defaming the country. America, Australia, Japan, UK...in every corner of the world India is being appreciated or not? Why?... It is not because of Modi, it is happening because of your (people's) votes. It's the strength of your votes, which formed a strong and stable government in Delhi,” he added.

“We want Karnataka to become number one in industrial and agriculture development, fisheries and port. We are working on it,” he said, claiming the Congress wanted to make Karnataka the “number one ATM” for its 'shahi parivar' (royal family) sitting in Delhi.

Urges people to bring BJP with full majority

He urged the people to bring in BJP with a “full majority and strong and stable government in Karnataka”, for it to be “praised and respected across the country and the globe”.

At Bailhongal in Belagavi, he accused the Congress and JD-S of “shortcut” governance. “Kannaḍigaru should be cautious about the shortcut governance of Congress and JD(S)... Shortcut governance has led to the birth of vote bank politics in the country. When someone indulges in shortcut politics, he or she thinks about dividing the society like Congress does," Modi said.

"Because of this shortcut politics, despite so many years after independence we are facing issues such as power supply not reaching villages and lack of proper shelters, bank accounts and water supply," he said, adding that the BJP, with the "vision" of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas", was trying to end the issue of "shortcut" governance.

The PM earlier met Padma Shri recipients Tulsi Gowda and Sukri Bommagowda in Ankola. 

Gowda, who is from Honnali village, had planted more than 30,000 saplings and takes care of the nurseries of the forest department. She belongs to Halakki Tribal and is also known as the Encyclopedia of Forest due to her vast knowledge of diverse species of plants and herbs.

Sukri Bommagowda, popularly called the nightingale of the Halakki Vokkaliga tribes, won the Padma Shri, the third-highest civilian honour, for folk singing in 2017.