UDUPI: People in coastal belt are conscious of their regional identity and praising it usually pays dividends. PM Narendra Modi therefore appealed to this pride by recalling contribution of eight mutts (Ashta Mutts) of Udupi and Dvaita philosopher Sri Madhwacharya, and started his speech by welcoming all in Kannada. Saying that the idol of Lord Sri Krishna in Udupi is from Dwaraka, Gujarat, Modi said that Udupi contributed to the country much more than is known.
“Along with being the land of temples, Udupi is also a land of banks. The banking business that sprouted in Udupi in earlier decades expanded the nation’s horizon... Icons such as Dr TMA Pai (who established Syndicate Bank) and Haji Abdulla Saheb (Founder of Corporation Bank) are remembered by the nation even today,” he said. In the district of Commonwealth Games 2018 Silver Medal Winner Gururaj Poojary, Modi said he got an opportunity to meet achievers such as Poojary. Mention of the sportsman’s name triggered chants of “Modi, Modi” from the crowd. Modi switched over to attacking Congress and CM Siddaramaiah. He said that as Mahatma Gandhi wished for disbanding of the Congress soon after Independence, and that it will happen through Karnataka polls. He accused the Congress of being distant from the poor. “The poor remained out of the banking system till recently. The BJP government changed this... deposits in Jan Dhan accounts crossed Rs 80,000 cr,” he said.