PUTTUR (DAKSHINA KANNADA): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday tore into the Opposition Congress and JDS by branding them as “corrupt” and added that “a vote for JDS is a vote for Congress’’.
Addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of Campco in Puttur, Shah appealed to people to support BJP in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections stating that voting for BJP will see the emergence of a new Karnataka and a new India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He attacked the Opposition by asking the audience as to whether they will support Congress and JDS which beliefs in Tipu Sultan or BJP which beliefs in Rani Abbakka. He alleged that the Gandhi family has made Karnataka their ATM and said the Congress and JDS can’t do good for the state.
“Karnataka is safe only under BJP rule,” he claimed. He said while Congress released 1,700 PFI workers from jail, PM Modi banned PFI. “Karnataka can be safe only in the BJP regime and under Modi’s leadership. Modi made the country safe by ending terrorism and Naxalism. Congress and JDS were against abrogation of Article 370 but Modi stood the ground and stopped bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir,” Shah added.
Showering praises on former CM BS Yediyurappa, who was also present on the occasion, Shah said people still remember the former’s regime. “Farmers’ welfare happened under Yediyurappa's rule and the whole country remembers it,” Shah said.
Listing the achievements of BJP government to Dakshina Kannada, Shah said they have taken initiative to generate hydrogen power, install plastic park, develop Mangaluru as a startup hub etc. Separate ministries for fisheries and cooperation, Pradhan Mantri Matsyagandha scheme, tunnel road in Shiradi Ghat, upgrading Mangalore Port, and MRPL expansion will immensely help the region, he added.
Mangaluru-Gujarat connect
Amit Shah said the people of Gujarat share a unique and strong bond with Mangaluru because of arecanut. “While people of Mangaluru shed sweat to grow arecanut, Gujarat people eat supari and shed sweat,” he said. Stating that he watched the superhit Kannada movie ‘Kantara’, Shah was all praise for the rich culture and heritage of Karnataka and termed it a sacred land. He congratulated Campco and said the successful 50 years of a cooperative organisation is an indication of its leadership’s honesty in serving farmers. He said the Union Budget has announced the setting up of 2 lakh multi-dimensional PACS at the panchayat level and added that it will benefit the farming community.