Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders were seeking to take “free publicity” by portraying works started by others as their own, the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said that the BJP should clarify to people whether works launched by the Prime Minister were the ones planned by the BJP or by other governments earlier.
“The government is claiming that ₹33,000-crore worth works were launched during the two-days visit. Mr. Modi’s speech makes it look as if Bengaluru was seeing light because of him,” he told reporters here.
Pointing out at works done during his 14-month coalition government, he said, “It was during my tenure that the ₹23,000 crore suburban railway project was given shape and discussions were held and these have been reported in the media. I had even announced a foundation stone laying ceremony, which the BJP government did not allow. While my government was brought down through Operation Kamala, the railway project had been kept in the backburner for three years.”
The former Chief Minister said the project had been officially launched as a gimmick since elections are fast approaching. “During my tenure, I had taken up the Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) project, which has been launched now. The BJP has taken publicity for several projects launched by me,” he claimed.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said that Mr. Modi did not come to Karnataka when the State faced crisis during severe floods and has been meeting out stepmotherly treatment to the State. “The BJP leaders in the State cannot face the people and hence they are hiding behind Mr. Modi,” he said.
