Bengaluru: There may be politicians who believe that Narendra Modi’s forthcoming visit to Bengaluru may trigger a saffron wave in Karnataka but former Union minister Janardhan Poojary thinks otherwise. “The more he visits us, the more it will benefit us,” said the irrepressible politican who has been KPCC president in the past.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Poojary said it had been proved beyond doubt that Modi would have no impact in the state. “He campaigned for BJP candidates in coastal Karnataka during the recent assembly elections. What happened finally? The Congress won seven of eight seats. You can expect similar results in other region of the state too if he keep visiting Karnataka,” Poojary quipped.
Taking potshots at the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, he said Modi should brush up his statistics and not keep quoting the wrong facts and figures and create his own version of history.
Recently he said China spends 20 per cent of its GDP on education but the fact is the country spends only four per cent. If you (Modi) become Prime Minister and go overseas, people there may not take you seriously and may laugh at you for your speeches,” he said.
Poojary also criticised the Gujarat CM for making comments on Sardar Vallabhai Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru. “The Indian National Congress never ignored Patel. The party named a big project after him.
We got then Prime Minister, Deve Gowdaji to name Ahmedabad airport after Patelji. We should not cast aspersion on those who are not with us,” he said. He reiterated his view that the BJP and Sangh Parivar leaders did not contribute to the freedom struggle.
“Where were your party leaders including L.K. Advani when we were fighting for freedom?” he wondered. Modi’s corrupt acts would have come to light had Gujarat had adopted a Karnataka-type Lokayukta Act, said the Congress leader. “If Justice Santosh Hegde had been the Lokayukta in Gujarat, you (Modi) would have been exposed a long time ago,” he said.
He also took to task BJP leaders for collecting Rs 10 from those who want to attend the Modi rally in Bengaluru on November 17. “We know money comes from industrialists. The Rs 10 collection is a facade to evade scrutiny,” he claimed.
