Mangaluru: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday charged that the Congress and the JD(S) believed in 18th century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan and that the two parties cannot do any good for Karnataka, while hailing the ruling BJP which was inspired by 16th century Tuluva queen of Ullal Rani Abbakka Chowta, for a prosperous rule in the state.
Shah also alleged that the Congress was corrupt and the opposition party had used Karnataka as an "Automated Teller Machine (ATM) for the Gandhi family". "When I have come here, let me ask you (people). Should people vote for the JD(S) and Congress who believe in Tipu or the BJP which has faith in Rani Abbakka?" Shah asked people.
The Union Minister for Home and Cooperation was in Puttur to celebrate the golden jubilee celebration of the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operative Limited (CAMPCO) at Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district. "Who should form the next government in Karnataka -- the BJP, which is a team of patriots led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi or a corrupt Congress, which used Karnataka as an ATM for the Gandhi family?" Shah asked the crowd.
He also accused the previous Congress government in Karnataka of letting off 1,700 activists of the PFI, which was banned last year by the Centre. This Congress which appeases anti-national forces cannot protect Karnataka, Shah alleged. "There is Kerala at your neighbourhood. I do not wish to speak more. Only BJP under the leadership of Modi can protect Karnataka," Shah said.
He claimed that the Prime Minister has kept the country safe by eradicating terrorism and Naxalism in the country. Citing the example of Jammu and Kashmir, Shah said when he stood up to introduce the bill abrogating Article 370 of the Indian Constitution on August 5, 2019, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Congress and the JD(S) insisted that this article should not be abrogated as it would lead to a bloodbath in Kashmir.
"Listen closely Rahul bhai and Congress. This is Modi government. No one could dare throw a pebble, let alone causing a bloodbath. In Kashmir, by abolishing Article 370, Narendra Modi made Kashmir the crown of India," the Home Minister said. According to him, voting for JD(S) was like casting one's vote for Congress while voting for the BJP means bringing in a "new Karnataka, which will enable New India".
The senior BJP leader charged that the Congress and the JD(S) would not do any good for the state. "Karnataka prospered whenever there was a BJP government," the Union Home Minister said. According to Shah, farmers across the country remember former chief minister B S Yediyurappa for his pro-farmers' measures. The entire nation remembers Yediyurappa because Bengaluru prospered under his leadership, he added.
Shah also spoke about various projects the Centre was planning to start in Dakshina Kannada district such as setting up a hydrogen power project, plastic park, strengthening CAMPCO, deep sea fishing, hostel for 1,000 students from the minority community and upgradation of Mangaluru port. (PTI)
