![Day after B’luru rally, CM Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Congress accuse Modi of lying](http://media.assettype.com/tnm%2Fimport%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2FModi_Siddaramaiah_collage_750x500.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
With elections less than four months away, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the state's Congress leadership tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the statements he made at the Bengaluru rally on Sunday.
Speaking in the State Assembly on Monday, Siddaramaiah lambasted PM Modi as he countered allegations of corruption levelled against his government by the PM.
“BS Yeddyurappa’s government was a government that looted the public. I am not making any accusations, the Lokayukta himself has said,” the CM said.
His comments came after Modi batted for BJP State President Yeddyurappa at the rally.
"If BS Yeddyurappa, the son of a farmer, becomes the Chief Minister, the projects for farmers will work at their best because he has their interests at heart," the PM had said.
“Yeddyurappa has gone to jail and now they are pointing fingers at our government. It is an irresponsible and politically motivated comment. There is nothing more shameful. Let them produce documents,” Siddaramaiah added. “Narendra Modi as the country's PM comes here and tells these many lies, and attempt to give misinformation to the residents here. According to me, I feel he has disrespected the position of PM.”
He also attacked the PM for not speaking on the contentious Mahadayi water sharing issue. “There have been protests for two years asking for the PM’s intervention. This is for drinking water. The BJP rules in Maharashtra and Goa, but he does not want to talk about it.”
He also asked why the PM did he not waive off farmer’s loans, while Rs 6 lakh crore loans of corporates have been written off.
Addressing thousands of BJP supporters in Palace Grounds, PM Modi had said, “India does not need Congress culture anymore, as it has ruined the nation. If corruption has to end, the state has to be made Congress-free."
He then went on to accuse the Siddaramaiah-led government of being corrupt and said that it has not been able to efficiently utilise the funds the Centre had released to it in the last four years.
"We have given Karnataka government Rs 2 lakh crore of funds, which is more than 180% of what the state got from the previous UPA government, which was only Rs 73,000 crore," said Modi.
Backing his government, Siddaramaiah said, “Our state is still no. 1 in IT/BT. Thirty-eight per cent of business in the country is from Karnataka. We are no. 1 in silk production in the country. When we came to power in Karnataka, its investment position 11. Last year, 2016-17, we became no. 1 as far as investments are concerned. I am not saying this, the central government itself has said this.”
He also lauded his government’s initiatives claiming that Karnataka is the first in starting multi-sector start-up policy.
“Karnataka's the first site to bring online market in APMC and now other states are copying it,” he told the Assembly.
“Farmer's produce is now available in 157 APMC marketplaces. According to Niti Aayog, the farmers earnings has gone up 38% because of this. This is the first state in the country to introduce Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Policy. Karnataka is the first state to launch a Universal Health Scheme. Karnataka is the hub for innovation and start-up policies,” the CM claimed.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday evening, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President G Parameshwara said, “Amit Shah says Rs 3 lakh crore and our PM says Rs 2 Lakh Crore funds was granted by the Centre to the State. But the truth is that in the last three years, the Centre has given Karnataka Rs 84,651 crore and still owes us Rs 10,553 crore.”
Parameshwara also criticised the PM for taking credit for the recently announced suburban railway project, “Rs 17,000 crore given to build a suburban rail in Bengaluru is another lie. The Centre’s share in the project is just 20% of the total cost.”