From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, June 21: Former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy has lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders for grabbing credit for the work done by others as the Bengaluru Suburban Railway project was prepared him.
Speaking to media persons at the party office on Tuesday, June 21, he said Modi and BJP leaders were claiming credit and publicity for the work done by others as the projects launched or laying of foundation stones were not initiated by BJP government. However, Modi is claiming that he has started the projects, he said.
Kumaraswamy attacked the BJP for releasing a progress report on the two-day visit of the Prime Minister and for attempting to derive mileage for launching Rs 33,000 crore worth of projects. "Let them explain whether the projects were initiated by the BJP or previous governments. Let the BJP leaders talk about this first,’’ he said.
The former Chief Minister assailed the Prime Minister for speaking as if he alone is a saviour of Bengaluru and for claiming that he is heralding a new dawn.
"The suburban railway project was in cold storage till 2018. It was during my 14-month rule that I had met the then Union Railway Minister to discuss the project. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda had extended support," Kumaraswamy said.
The JD(S) leader said his government had prepared the Rs 23,000 crore projects within two months of coming to power in 2018. ``I had met and discussed with the then Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to clear the project. I had also met Piyush Goyal at Krishna to discuss the project. This has been reported in the media,’’ he claimed.
Kumaraswamy said he wanted to lay the foundation stone for the suburban railway project before the Lok Sabha polls and had even announced it before the media in 2019. "But the BJP leaders did not allow the foundation stone to be laid. The BJP was angry that I had formed the government in coalition with Congress. Subsequently, my government was pulled down through Operation Kamala and BJP came to power. For three years, the project was kept in cold storage by BJP and now the foundation stone is laid before the BBMP elections," he said.
The former Chief Minister said the State Cabinet had approved the project for implementation in a time-bound manner. The Union Government had set 19 conditions and the coalition government had fulfilled all the conditions. Now, it is being resurrected before elections, he said dubbing the exercise as an "election gimmick."
Kumaraswamy attacked the Prime Minister’s claim that he is implementing the projects kept pending for 40 years within 40 months forgetting that it takes six years for the completion of the suburban railway project.
"My government had initiated the STRR project and many other projects. Now the BJP is claiming credit as if they are doing everything,’’ he said.
When Karnataka faced the worst floods and faced many other calamities, Kumaraswamy said the Prime Minister did not bother to visit the State. "Modi has been exhibiting step motherly treatment towards Karnataka and the State BJP leaders have no guts or face to go before the people. BJP is now going before people with Modi as their mascot as they are unable to face the people,’’ he said.
"Modi is bragging that he is implementing the Bengaluru suburban rail project in 40 months. But the budgetary allocation is a meagre Rs 1 crore," he said pointing out that when the project was sent to the Centre Arun Jaitely was Finance Minister.
The Centre has allocated Rs 415 crore for the Rs 15,000 crore project, he said charging that people cannot be fooled.
Kumaraswamy said the Centre is reaping enormous founds through GST collections and other taxes from Bengaluru but Modi regime has been neglecting the city. This is nothing but injustice, he said.
The JD(S) leader attacked the BJP for nationalising Operation Kamala and taking it to national level from Karnataka. After engineering defections in several states, BJP is now trying it in Maharashtra, he said and warned that the Shiv Sena workers will not remain silent at BJP’s unholy politics.