BELAGAVI/KALABURAGI : Taking a swipe at the Narendra Modi-led government over Enforcement Directorate’s chargesheet against Congress top leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald money laundering case, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said Congress will not cow down to the Centre’s tactics to get cases filed by ED against party leaders.
“National Herald newspaper was established by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1937 to mobilise people’s support and inspire them to join the freedom movement. Filing cases against Sonia is shameful. The Gandhi family has already sacrificed two lives (former PMs Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi), and we are not afraid of anything. Your (BJP’s) mouthpiece, Organiser, is spreading divisive content. It recently targeted Waqf properties and claimed Waqf Board staked claim on Christian lands — only to retract later,”said Kharge.
Inaugurating the Kalyana Karnataka Job Fair (Yuva Samruddhi Sammelana) at KCT College Grounds in Kalaburagi on Wednesday, he slammed BJP’s recent attempts to invoke Dr BR Ambedkar’s legacy, saying, “You (BJP) never respected Ambedkar. It was Congress that entrusted Ambedkar with the responsibility to draft the Constitution. You have tarnished his name.”
Kharge called on Congress leaders in Karnataka to stay united and said, “Regardless of your internal differences, stand together. Otherwise, Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will target and threaten you. But we (Congress) will not be cowed down by their attacks. We will fight and put BJP out of power.”
He said the UPA government, despite lacking majority, engaged with other MPs and successfully implemented Article 371(J) to give special status to the Kalyana Karnataka region. He urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to genuinely focus on industrial development in Kalyana Karnataka, which still lags behind in many fields.
Kharge criticized Modi for not supporting development in the region, mentioning the rail coach factory brought to Kadechur. Despite the state government providing free land, water, and electricity, the Modi government failed to release funds to develop industries in the Kalyana Karnataka area, he said.
Farmers in Srinivasa Saradagi village had willingly given up their land for an airport, but there are no regular flights operational here. “This airport was made possible by our local farmers and not by the central government. Let Modi ensure regular air service to this neglected area,” he said.