Cannot compare Siddaramaiah with former CM Devraj Urs: Mallikarjun Kharge

Bengaluru: In what could be termed as a tongue-in-cheek remark, Congress party veteran M. Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday asserted that none can attain the stature of social reformer and former chief minister, D. Devraj Urs.

Speaking to reporters on his 11-year long association with Urs at the KPCC office here, Mr Kharge said, “We are talking about a person who envisioned social reforms by bringing land reforms. He (Urs) is a cult figure, he will remain so. None can reach anywhere near his achievements. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and late Urs can’t be compared. In this world no two persons can be the same, the universal law applies to all.”

When asked about Mr Siddarmaiah’s ambition to become another Urs, Mr Kharge said drawing a parallel between two leaders who have come in at different times is not a correct way of analysing personalities and would be unfair.

“How can one compare a 60-year-old leader’s (Siddaramaiah) contributions with a leader whose centenary will be celebrated on Thursday?” he wondered. Answering another question on whether the results of BBMP polls would have any bearing on state politics, Mr Kharge retorted that he is the party’s loyal soldier and is determined to remain so.

“I am a person who has an unblemished record of not creating any disharmony for the sake of a post which is denied to me or otherwise. I firmly believe that no leader should try to weaken the party for the sake of fulfilling his or her ambitions. At least I will not do so. If our efforts lead to weakening of the party, then how can we all survive be it me or Dr Parameshwar or Chief Minister Siddaramaiah or even S.M. Krishna. We are all able to enjoy our respective positions, so far because of the party’s existence not because of us,”Mr Kharge said.

‘Modi is a tourist Prime Minister’

Ridiculing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not tackling issues like corruption in the BJP and in party ruled states, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday termed Mr Modi a ‘tourist Prime Minister’ who has a great deal of time abroad to criticise the Opposition but has no time to attend Parliament.

Speaking to reporters at the KPCC office here, Mr Kharge said, “Mr Modi has toured 25 countries in the last 15 months, I am surprised to note that he has no time to visit Parliament which is just a few steps away from his office.”

Rebutting Mr Modi’s charges that Congress had become unpatriotic by holding Parliament to ransom, Mr Kharge said, “If the disruption of Parliament is considered democratic, then why is it that Mr Modi is finding it unpatriotic? Let him come for a debate, we can talk over this subject at length.” Mr Kharge also wondered why Mr Modi stopped the implementation of GST bill when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat. “Mr Modi himself strongly opposed many reforms such as labour reforms and introduction of GST bill till came to a screeching halt. He owes an explanation,” he asserted.

Kharge goes down memory lane

A day before the birth centenary celebration of late D. Devraj Urs, Congress veteran M. Mallikarjun Kharge reminisced how Urs groomed him into a top notch politician. Humane, simple to the core, large hearted and at the same time a master strategist - This was how Mr Kharge who completed 45 years in public life, described Urs.

According to Mr Kharge Urs was a rebel with a cause. Urs and Kolluru Mallappa two prominent leaders of the Seventies changed him drastically and helped him mellow down a lot, he said. “In 1971-72, I was just out of law college and had written the Bar Council examination along with my friends former CM Dharam Singh and Iqbal Ahmed Saradagi. I was involved in the student movement to abolish the privy purse given to princes. There, I came in touch with Kolluru Mallappa, who introduced us to Urs. Urs never held back his feelings, where as Mallappa was not very expressive in nature. Nevertheless, their chemistry did wonders for the just born party under Indira Gandhi in state. In my entire life only Mallappa and Urs called me by my first name. That was the kind of affection they had for me.”

“On the insistence of Mallappa, I along with Mr Singh and Mr Saradagi, met Urs early in the morning. He was milking a cow in front of his house in Malleswaram. He was so simple yet had the aura of a leader written all over him.”

Mr Kharge also recalled how he had wanted to contest from Sedam, where he had worked. “But Urs insisted I should contest from Gurmithkal which I had not visited even once. I did and the rest is history,” he recalled.

“Eight years after I entered politics, Urs broke ranks and moved away. He became opposition leader. One day, he came to my chamber and I stood up and requested him to sit in my chair. He told me positions have changed. You (Kharge) are minister now. You have to sit in the chair. It was Urs who told me never to demand justice which causes harm to others. Justice is what we are entitled to, not something we snatch from others.”