Mangalore: Poojary calls Modi 'Hitler', says his visit to state is gain for Congress

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VM)

Mangalore, Apr 29: Former union minister and Congress leader Janardhan Poojary on Monday April 28 termed Gujarat chief minster Narendra Modi a 'Hitler' and said his visit to the state for campaigning for BJP was a gain for the Congress as people of the state 'know Modi's background'.

Addressing a press meet at Congress party election office on Monday, he said BJP ministers are known for corruption in the state. Commenting on Modi's speech in Bangalore, he said, "Before preaching others, a person should first be a role model to all. Modi tells his party is clean and points out at Congress for corruption. Everyone knows what Modi is and the condition of BJP government in the state."

On the volume of corruption in Modi’s government, Poojary said as per the report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), the Gujarat government has cheated people of nearly Rs 580 crore.

"The major corporate houses to which the Modi government played the role of benefactor included Reliance Industries limited (RIL), Essar Steel, Adani power limited and others," he added.

"When it comes to corruption, Narendra Modi is not less than former chief minister Yeddyurappa. In fact, he is Yeddyurappa's younger brother," he said.

Slamming Modi's statement that no one in Congress is capable of becoming chief minister, Poojary clarified that as per the Indian law, the name of the chief minister is not announced beforehand.

"We do not have a presidential election like the USA. In our country chief minister and the President are not elected by the people, rather, the chief minister is elected by majority party’s MLAs who win the assembly election and their recommendation is later sent to the governor," said Poojary, adding, "Modi does not have common sense."

On the statement made by Modi that Delhi was not safe under UPA, the former minister said, "When L K Advani was the home minister, terrorists had attacked the parliament, and it could not be stopped by the NDA. In another incident when NDA was in power, terrorists had entered the Red Fort and even killed two soldiers."

He further added, "Modi claims that the BJP is working on uniting the people, but their party has not given tickets to Christians or Muslim candidates for the assembly election." He also lambasted Modi for commenting on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party.

Speaking on the recent Congress public meeting in the city addressed by Sonia Gandhi, Poojary said the turnout was good despite several hindrances. He said Congress party had submitted the names around 3,000 new voters before the last date, which was rejected due to technical error by the election authorities. "The mistake was not committed by us and hence I urge the returning officer to probe the matter and accept the new voters," he said.