Senior Congress leader Janardhana Poojary on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi of sowing seeds of hatred in society. He also came down heavily on the ‘Bharatha Gellisi’ programme scheduled to be held here on Sunday.
The former Union minister told reporters that Modi does not even have elementary knowledge of India’s heritage and history and is telling half-truths in his public meetings. “Modi believes that the ancient centre of knowledge Taxila was in today’s Bihar and world conqueror Alexandar died on the banks of the Ganges. These statements are nothing but a bunch of jokes,” he said.
Coming down heavily on Modi for spitting fire against neighbouring countries on issues such as terrorism, he said, “If the Gujarat Chief Minister unrelentingly continued his tirade against Pakistan it may trigger a war between two nuclear powers. The BJP’s prime ministerial candidate should speak in a responsible manner.”
Maintaining that Modi’s visit to Karnataka on Sunday will not have any impact on the prospects of the Congress in the state, Poojary recalled, “In Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts where Modi addressed public meetings, the Congress bagged seven out of the eight Assembly segments.” The more Modi visits Karnataka, the better the electoral prospects for the Congress, he said.
Criticising Modi for propagating a divisive policy, the Congress leader said, “ If the kind of Lokayukta Act that is in Karnataka is enacted in Gujarat, Modi’s involvement in various scams would have been exposed by now.”
Meeting With Sri Sri, Pejawar Seer
Modi has plans to meet Pejawar mutt pontiff Sri Vishvesha Theertha Swamy and Art of Living Founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar before addressing the public meeting at Palace Grounds here on Sunday. According to official sources, Modi will meet Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at his ashram and the seer at one of the mutt’s branch at Vidyapeeta Circle.