‘The party will pay the price if it continues to level baseless charges against BJP’

Continuing his tirade against the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday cautioned its leadership against breaking decorum while criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party.

At a public meeting here, Mr. Modi alleged that the Congress was breaking decorum in levelling charges against the BJP, especially against its chief ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyurappa. The Congress has continued to level baseless allegations against him even though he had faced the judicial process. “I want to ask the Congress from this platform at Hubballi, why maa-beta are out on bail,” Mr. Modi said, indirectly referring to the involvement of AICC president Rahul Gandhi and his mother, Sonia Gandhi, in the National Herald case.

“The Congress leadership should explain why the maa-beta are out on bail and away from court appearance. They should tell why an FIR has been filed against them. What allegations were levelled against them? And what was the reason for them to apply for bail? My brothers and sisters of Karnataka, you should know that there is a ₹5,000 crore scam allegation against the maa-beta of the Congress,” he said.

Further, he added that he did not want to break decorum in the public life. However, if the Congress continued with its habit of breaking decorum in public life, the party will have to pay the price for it, he said.

Earlier, Mr. Modi tried to catch the attention of people by asking them “Neevella hegiddeeri?” He also paid salutations in Kannada to saint Siddharudha, Moorusavir Mutt, poet late Da.Ra. Bendre, and vocalist late Gangubai Hanagal, and invoked the memory of Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad amid huge applause by the audience.

Earlier in Jamakhandi, Mr. Modi accused the Congress government in Karnataka of creating communal rift in the name of caste and religion. Stating that Karnataka would never accept such divisive parties and would remain intact, he added, “The Congress should at least remember the lines of poet Kuvempu who said that Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate, Jayahe Karnataka Mathe”.

‘Learn patriotism from Mudhol dogs’

Describing Mudhol breed of dogs as more patriotic than the Congress, the Prime Minister on Sunday asked the party to learn patriotism from the hounds.

At an election rally at Jamkhandi on Sunday, he questioned the patriotism of the Congress and said the Mudhol dogs’ patriotism was higher than that of the Congress.

“The BJP government has identified patriotism of Mudhol dogs and created a battalion of these dogs for the defence forces. However, I doubt whether the Congress would learn patriotism from Mudhol dogs,” Mr. Modi said.