Bengaluru: The Congress continued its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the AICC’s communication wing chief, Randeep Singh Surjewala demanding that Mr Modi break his silence on the irregularities in banks with scams amounting to Rs 31,691 crore exposed in the last ten days.
This includes cases involving fugitive jewellers Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi who have duped 30 banks of Rs 22,606 crore and the common people of about Rs 5000 crore through ponzi money-for-gold schemes. "Mr Modi's silence itself exposes his stand on corruption," he alleged and added "The nation will not remain quiet, we will launch a series of agitations inside parliament as well as outside till Mr Modi breaks his silence on the issue," he asserted.
According to him, under the Modi government, the banking sector's risk management system, fraud detection system and regulatory mechanism have been compromised.
Mr Surjewala also wondered why bank frauds were getting bigger? "On February 14, when Punjab National Bank (PNB) did its filing with the National Stock Exchange, they admitted that their exposure is USD 1.77 billion and last evening again, they did a second filing admitting that their exposure has now further gone up by USD 204.25 million. This means that the total scam has gone up to USD 2 billion (Rs 12,717 crore), he explained quipping, “When will you shift from maun Modi to bol Modi (silent Modi to speaking Modi).
Raising several questions, Mr Surjewala wanted to know how the Nirav Modi-Mehul Choksi combine duped the entire banking system through forged Letters of Understanding under the nose of the Modi government?
PM has no moral right to attack me: CM
Rebutting the charges levelled against him, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah contended that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no moral right to criticise him as he himself had failed to pass the Lokpal Bill.
Speaking in Raichur on Tuesday, Mr Siddaramaiah referred to the PM's statement that his was a ‘ten percent’ government and said he did not expect such a remark from the PM. "I had expected the PM to announce the waiver of farmer loans taken from nationalised banks. But instead, he called my government a ‘ten per cent’ government. Mr Modi should have realised that his own chief minister and his party president ( Amit Shah) had gone to jail. Moreover the PM has conveniently forgotten that the Yeddyurappa government was a cent per cent commission government", he retorted.
The CMtook a dig at the statement by JD(S) President H.D. Kumaraswamy that he would waive all farm loans within 24 hours after coming to power. "This a joke because Mr Kumaraswamy will not come to power. Similar is the fate of Mr Yeddyurappa, who promises to provide Rs one lakh crore for irrigation projects", he remarked sarcastically.
Touching on the performance of his government, Mr Siddaramaiah said for a long time, Gujarat was at number one in attracting foreign investments. "Now my government stands first. But BJP leaders are levelling baseless allegations that my government has made no progress", he added.
BJP ‘zero’ on Mahadayi: Surjewala
Playing the ‘Kannada Asmita’ card, AICC communication wing chief Randeep Surjewala demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders like Amit Shah explain what they have done in the last 46 months to resolve the Mahadayi river dispute .
Reacting to Mr Shah's assurance in Kalaburgi to get Mahadayi water to drought-prone districts of Karnataka if his party wins the assembly election, Mr Surjewala charged that Mr Shah has become the epitome of jumlabazi (rhetoric). "Kannadigas know what is best for them. Let PM Modi explain what he has done in the last 46 months to resolve this crisis. Let Mr Shah explain this," he said and added that Mr Modi is PM first and a party leader next.
Daring Mr Shah and Mr Modi, Mr Surjewala demanded that the powerful duo of the BJP must show the courage to drop Goa water resources minister Vinod Palyekar who had abused Kannadigas last month. Palyekar had abused Kannadigas after he visited the Kalasa Banduri water diversion site in Kankumbi region in north Karnataka.
Mr Surjewala dropped enough hints that the Congress may not deny the ticket to its Shantinagar MLA NA Haris whose son Mohammad Nalapad is the accused in the Vidwath assault case. He wondered why Mr Haris should pay for his son's crime?
