'Snake adorns Lord Shiva's neck': PM Modi responds to Congress chief Kharge's barb

Hitting out at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge over his ‘venomous snake’ barb, prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that “snake is the charm of lord Shiva’s neck, and for him, the people of the country were a ‘form of god’, and he was fine with being compared to the snake on their necks.”

The PM was addressing a public meeting in Kolar in poll-bound Karnataka.

“I know that the people of Karnataka, the land of saints and sanskar, will give a befitting reply to Congress’s abuses through votes. The anger of the people against the Congress will reflect through votes on May 10,” he added.

VIDEO | “Snake is the charm of Lord Shiva’s neck. For me, people of the country are like Lord Shiva,” says PM Modi slamming Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s ‘snake’ remarks. #KarnatakaAssemblyElections2023 pic.twitter.com/Fr6mZ1AdFR

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 30, 2023

Earlier this week, Kharge called PM Modi a “venomous snake” during a campaign rally in Karnataka. The Congress president later backtracked on his remark saying that his comment was not directed at the PM and that he was referring to the “BJP’s ideology.”

Congress associated with 85% commission: PM

Meanwhile, coming down heavily on the Congress on the issue of corruption, PM Modi on Sunday said the grand old party had always been associated with “85 percent commission”, and its “shahi parivar” (royal family) was out on bail in connection with scams worth thousands of crores of rupees.

“There is a reason why the country has lost trust in Congress and its ‘shahi parivar’: Congress’s identity has always been associated with 85 percent commission. During Congress’s rule its top leader and then prime minister used to say with pride that if he sends Rs one from Delhi,15 paise reaches them (people) on the ground. Congress’ claws used to snatch away 85 paise of the poor,” Modi said.

“This is not BJP’s allegation, but it is the public acceptance of the Congress’s former prime minister. Congress that eats 85 percent commission can never work for the development of Karnataka,” he added.

The PM’s attack on the Congress comes following the party’s strong campaign against the ruling BJP in Karnataka over allegations that it was taking “40 percent commission” from contractors.

“Hundred percent of the amount sent by the BJP government today reaches the beneficiary. In the past nine years, with the strength of ‘Digital India’, Rs 29 lakh crore has been credited into the bank account of the poor, under various schemes,” the PM said.

“If Congress that eats 85 percent commission had continued, Rs 24 lakh crore out of this could not have reached the poor,” he claimed, adding that BJP came to power only nine years ago and stopped this. He asked people to “imagine about the lakhs of crores of rupees that Congress leaders had filled in their lockers before that”.

Stating that Congress “prospers” in corruption and it can never take action against the corrupt, Modi said, “Congress can never design any scheme or program which doesn’t involve a scam.” “Even today, Congress’s ‘shahi parivar’ and people close to it are out on bail in a scam involving thousands of crores of rupees. Those facing charges of corruption and are out on bail are today coming to Karnataka and preaching. Congress, whose top leaders are facing charges of corruption and members of whose ‘shahi parivar’ are out on bail cannot take action against corruption,” he added.

“During the nine years before 2014, during Congress rule, only Rs 5,000 crore worth of property of the corrupt was seized, while in the past nine years under the BJP rule, properties worth over Rs 1 lakh crore of those who looted the country have been seized,” Modi said, asserting that only the BJP could swiftly act and take strong action against corruption.

Noting that Congress was facing difficulties due to his actions against corruption, the PM said that was the reason that the party’s “hate” against him had increased day by day.

“They have further increased their attack against me. Congress people are issuing threats these days. They are saying ‘Modi teri qabr khudegi’ (Modi your grave will be dug). Now in Karnataka’s election, Congress’s biggest issue is the snake and its venom,” he said.

Karnataka goes to polls on 10 May and the results will be declared on 13 May.

With inputs from agencies

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